


The Squire

by Mae2d2



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Awkward First Times, Dry Humping, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Jousting, Light Dom/sub, Loss of Virginity, Middle Ages, Minor Violence, No Underage Sex, Period talk, Reylo - Freeform, Slow Burn, Star Wars planets are cities or villages, Switching, Sword Fighting, They just meet when she’s young, Time period appropriate age difference in courting, Virgin Ben Solo, Virgin Rey (Star Wars), a ton of Star Wars cameos, but very sweet, great friendships, lots of fun adventures, pretending to be a boy, very minor I promise, war typical violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:55:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 27
Words: 106,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25623244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mae2d2/pseuds/Mae2d2
Summary: Rey has been alone all her life, pretending to be a boy to survive. When she meets Maz and Chewie, they take her under their wing and offer her a chance to become something greater than she ever thought possible. She travels to Coruscant to attend the academy for squires, to eventually become a Knight of the Empire. But before she can take the trials, she must apprentice to an older Knight, and she has been chosen by none other than the dark, stoic, and mysterious Sir Kylo Ren, King Snoke’s protege and the strongest knight in the Empire.
Relationships: Armitage Hux & Phasma & Kylo Ren & Rey, Finn & Rey (Star Wars), Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Rose Tico, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 107
Kudos: 170





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was the first fic that I stared to write, and it’s taken me a few months to finally finish. I’m really proud of it and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Just so you know, the first few chapters are just Rey, but don’t be discouraged, there is a lot of Rey and Ben content just a little further on. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come be my friend on [ twitter ](https://twitter.com/mae2d2) !
> 
> Also, please let me know if there’s any tags you think I should add!

Rey woke with a start by a loud banging noise at the other end of the barn. She launched off of the hay pile onto her feet into a crouch, brandishing the knife that was next to her bedroll. She stayed still waiting to see if anyone would enter the decrepit barn that had been unoccupied when she happened upon it late last night.

She heard footsteps that must have belonged to whoever was making that ridiculous banging, and it seemed far enough away for her to leave. Thankful that she had slept in her trousers last night for just this purpose, she scooped up her bedroll, satchel and staff then threw herself behind some crates that were against the back wall.

The door at the front of the barn slammed open, sending dust flying through the air, causing the horses to whine angrily, frustrated from having been worked up so abruptly.Through a small crack between two crates, Rey could make out an extremely short woman with huge spectacles that almost obscured her entire face. The woman was wearing a faded orange dress and was muttering to herself.

“Stupid hunt, stupid friends, stupid leg.” The woman harrumphed, grabbing a pitchfork to stab some hay and she pitched it over into the stall for the old brown horse who was lazily whipping its tail, slightly happier now that he was receiving breakfast.

“Don’t go out, I said, that horse will kill you, I said, but nooooo.” She glared at the horse and pointed at it sternly. “This is all your fault.” The horse whinnied in response and went back to whipping the flies off of its rump with its tail. The woman gave an exasperated sigh and strode over to the crates. Rey started to panic and crouched lower and shrunk in on herself, attempting to make herself smaller.

“I’m too old for this nonsense.” The woman said, grabbing the nearest crate, or attempting to grab it before rocking forward and depositing it back on the ground. “This isn’t going to work...” She seemed to come to some sort of conclusion, frowned, turned and disappeared back through the door she had come in.

Rey was about to take her leave through the back door when she glanced at the crates. She really could use some credits right now. Maybe if she could be in the right place at the right time... She grabbed the crate that the woman had attempted to pick up to test its weight, and hefted it up easily. She put it back down, with her mind made up. She exited the back of the barn and circled the property until she was at the side of the manor house that housed the entrance to the servants’ quarters and kitchen.

As she walked she gathered her hair into the small pony tail at the nape of her neck and tied it with a scrap piece of leather that made her look more like a boy. Her trousers and tunic completed the look. She made sure to wear a tunic that was long, so that no one would be looking for the male bulge that would obviously be missing from her anatomy. Fortunately, she wasn’t well-endowed up top to begin with so she only had to wear a simple breast-band worn tightly to hide away any womanly qualities. She had a simple face so it was easy for her to pass as a boy.

The house itself was quite dilapidated. She hadn’t gotten a look to see who owned it yet, having arrived late in the evening. She approached the servants’ entrance, looking for the short woman. Strangely, there weren’t any servants or workers walking around the courtyard, the garden or near the stables that she had just exited from. She noticed an open door farther down and made her way toward it, voices from inside getting louder as she got closer.

Suddenly the woman stumbled out, this time wearing a green tattered shawl over her dress and holding a small purse. The woman noticed Rey and looked her up and down with the most intense eyes that Rey had ever seen, and they seemed to see through her soul. The woman continued to stare until Rey made a small coughing sound, to get the woman’s attention but also to lower her voice.

“I’m looking for work.” Rey noticed the woman’s eyebrows shoot up.

“Well, that’s convenient... come in lad.” She then turned and marched back into the door. Rey followed behind her and heard her murmur to herself, “Well that saves me a trip.” Rey smiled to herself as the woman waved her forward into a kitchen that was old and homely.

The fireplace was stuffed with burning logs, just reaching that perfect state of hot coals, perfect for cooking. Next to it sat a huge wooden table with mismatched chairs, and at the head sat the hairiest man that Rey had ever seen. His leg was propped up on a wooden stool. He nodded his head at her and grunted a greeting and she nodded politely back. The woman motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs. Rey gingerly sat on the offered chair. She placed her satchel, with the bedroll attached, on her lap; Her hands closed tightly around them.She had had too many bad experiences to let her guard down around anybody.

“This young lad here is looking for work.” The woman glared at the man, “lucky for you this lad caught me just before I was about to leave.” She bustled around the kitchen as she spoke. “My name is Maz, and this is my husband Chewie.” She introduced, waving in his direction from behind her back. “We are the Lords of Takodana.” Rey must have shown a look of surprise because Maz chuckled and said bitterly, “I know we don’t look it. Our staff has dwindled in the past few years from the new taxes.”

Maz placed a cut of salted meat and a rip of bread loaf in front of her, which Rey immediately grabbed to stuff in her mouth, as Maz continued talking. “We figured we could do most work on our own anyway. Until my oaf of a husband here got his leg broken during a hunt with friends, DURING A RAIN STORM.” She turned to glare at her husband who hung his head, but Rey saw his mouth was turned up just slightly. Rey disguised her amusement by stuffing more bread into her mouth.

“So, we have some cargo for you to load into the wagon and unload once we get to town. I’m too old to lift the crates and he’s in no shape to do anything but be a useless sitting carpet.” Maz said.

Chewie looked up at Rey and mouthed, “I used to be the useless walking carpet.” Rey had to stuff the meat into her cheeks to stop the snort that threatened to escape.

“We’ll give you 5 silver credits for your time. Does that sound fair?” Maz asked her.

Rey nodded and took a sip of the wine that Maz had placed in front of her. “What is your name, child?”

“Rey.”

“Good, Rey, we leave in one hour. I expect all the crates to be in the wagon by then.”

*

Rey could tell Maz was a talker. She chatted the whole way to town, trying to pry answers out of Rey, who wasn’t willing to open up about anything. It was bad enough that she was pretending to be a boy, but adding orphan, runaway, and occasional thief into the mix made other people not take kindly to her. Most people didn’t ask too many questions, and if they did they soon stopped when they realized she wouldn’t respond. Most just assumed she was a boy looking for work to support his family. She hadn’t corrected them. She just let them believe what they wanted to believe.

Maz, however, wasn’t buying it. By the time they had sold the crates and returned to the manor, she was being as persistent as ever. Maz mentioned that they could continue to use her help for another week or so until her husband started to get better. Rey was about to say no, she never stayed too long in one place, she couldn’t bring that much attention to herself. However, the woman had been kind to her, and they really did need the help. Takodana was far enough away from anything important that if anything happened she could just run and disappear.

It had worked all her life: working then running. When her parents had dropped her off at a local rundown cathedral in Jakku when she was five, the priest had given her to a man who took in orphaned children to work for him to earn a stay.

The man, Unkar Plutt, was a nasty tradesman. He forced the kids to scavenge old fortresses and castles that existed in the deserts of Jakku from a time long ago. Many of the ruins were old and dangerous from decay and rot. Rey had been forced to learn to climb crumbling walls, and haul heavy objects across sand to keep living each day.

She figured staying with Maz and Chewie for just a little while couldn't hurt, they seemed like good people. She accepted Maz’s offer and was given a small room in the servants’ wing of the manor house.

The next few days, Rey helped with odd jobs around their land. She felled down trees and chopped the trunks into logs, then filled the crates with wood to take to sell in town. She also helped to make the crates by cutting out the wood pieces and nailing the sides together. She pitched hay for the horses, washed them, and cleaned the stables. One week of work soon turned into three that included meals around the table laughing about Chewie’s newest joke, or lounging by the fire as Maz read to them from books with yellowing pages that crinkled as they turned.

*

Rey awoke one morning to a warm sensation around her legs. Confused, she sat up in her bed feeling wet and sticky. She groaned, “This hasn’t happened to me in ages! What is wrong with me!” She flipped the blanket off of her legs expecting to see a puddle of clear liquid soaking the mattress but instead saw dark red staining her sleeping trousers and the bed. Thinking she must have been wounded somehow during the night, she became dizzy at the sight.

Her throat constricted with fear, so she gulped harshly then yelled with a groggy voice, “MAZ! Help!” Tears trickled down her cheeks as Maz burst into the room, eyes wild, looking for whatever threatened Rey. She zeroed in on the bloodstains, and gasped.

Maz strode forward, looking intensely at the blood and whispered. “I knew it.” And then to Rey’s complete bewilderment, she started to laugh.

“What on earth could possibly be funny right now!? Why am I bleeding? Am I going to die!?” Rey wailed, covering her face with her hands.

Maz continued to chuckle before sitting on the edge of the bed and grabbing both of Rey’s hands away from her face and gathering them in hers. She wiped a tear from Rey’s cheek and cupped it and smiled at her.

“My dear child, when were you going to tell me you are a girl?” Rey’s eyes widened in shock and was about to stutter an accusation, how could she even think of something so preposterous, when Maz held up her hand to silence her. “Rey, I’ve been thinking it for a little while now. You don’t relieve yourself whenever you please like most boys your age, your voice still isn’t giving you away yet but it’s close, and you are quite pretty, not that boys can’t be pretty I suppose.” She shrugged. “But this seals it, you are becoming a woman.”

Rey dropped her head in shame and said weakly, “I’m sorry Maz, I- I was scared, I can’t be sent back, I just- I just can’t.” She sniffled and Maz handed her a handkerchief which she gratefully accepted and dabbed at her nose.

“You don’t have to explain that to me now, we’ll have plenty of time for explanations later. Let me ease your mind with the present circumstances.” Rey assumed she meant that they would kick her out later after she was finished explaining, but was too stressed about the blood to think about that right now.

“When a girl enters into womanhood, her body makes itself ready to bear children.” Rey looked up sharply with fear in her eyes but Maz put up a hand to stop her. “Let me explain then you can ask questions.” Rey nodded.

“Do you know how men and women are able to make children? Like when they become physically intimate?” Rey had heard of enough things from drunk men talking loudly outside of pubs to get the idea, so she nodded.

“Good, when they participate in that act, the man plants a seed into the woman, however, it cannot take root unless the woman is ready and they do not become ready until they are around your age and start their bleeding periods. This blood exits from your body, letting you know that it is ready to take in a seed to grow a baby. Yours has just started and so, if you are to participate in such an act, there is a chance that you could conceive.” Rey gulped, she did not want or need a child, so she would need to be careful, although she wasn’t really expecting to be intimate with anyone anyway, especially when everyone thought she was a boy.

“You need not worry, you are too young to be doing such things. But when you are older, be careful. Now, the blood is nothing to worry about, every woman goes through it once a month for a few days. It may hurt but it won’t kill you. It’s totally natural and normal.” Rey breathed a sigh of relief, her fear morphing into irritation as she realized she’d have to scrub her trousers real good to get all the blood out. “We’ll need to make you some rags that you can wear that will catch the blood and you can wash them and switch them out as they fill.” Rey groaned at the implication of extra work and Maz just chuckled.

“Such is a woman’s lot in life. Now, let’s get this cleaned up, we’ll get some breakfast, and then we’ll talk.” She stood up and held her arms out. Catching her message, Rey stripped off her trousers and undergarments, no longer needing to hide her womanhood from Maz, and stumbled into the corner that held her bucket of water and drying cloth. Maz grabbed the mattress as well and headed out into the hallway with the soiled linens while Rey wiped away the residual blood from her thighs. She replaced her undergarments and put on her day trousers and tunic and headed outside to help Maz.

*

By the time they were seated for breakfast she could tell Chewie already knew because he was looking at her with a warm fondness in his eyes. A weird way to look at her if they were just going to throw her out. She ducked her head and tore into her eggs.

“Now Rey, I’d like you to tell us who you are and why you lied to us.” Rey looked up at her and opened her mouth to protest before Maz cut her off. “You lied about your gender, and you haven’t told us a thing about yourself, which isn’t a lie necessarily, but I believe we deserve to know.” Rey looked down onto her plate and swallowed.

It couldn’t hurt to be honest with them. They obviously cared about her and still hadn’t thrown her out for her treachery. She had never been able to talk to anyone about her past, and if she were to tell anyone, Maz would be the one to confide in. She made her decision then to trust her and tell her the truth.

“I am an orphan from Jakku. My parents left me when I was five and I worked for a man scavenging to earn my keep. It... wasn’t a good life. As I got older, more of the men started to take notice of me, and I couldn’t just change myself there and become someone new, so when I was ten I ran away. I learned how to look and act like a boy because then I could find work from town to town and no one would ask any questions. I took jobs here and there, like with you, for food and shelter before I moved onto the next town. I’ve been slowly moving away from Jakku to...” Well, she didn't know where, she didn't really know what her future held and was just kind of wandering.

“How have you been safe this whole time?” Chewie queried.

“I learned to defend myself. Scavenging helped me to be nimble and strong. One day while working I found a knife and a staff. I practiced and have used both plenty of times, and both have saved my life.” She shrugged. Maz and Chewie shared a look and Rey’s heart sank. Before they could speak she rushed out, determined to leave them before they could reject her. “I’ll go get my stuff.”

She got up to leave when Maz shrieked, “Heavens child, why on earth would you think we want you to leave?”

“Well, because I’m a runaway, and I lied about who I am, how could you trust me?” She hung her head.

“You ran away to save your own life, you lied to protect yourself.” Maz placed her hands on Rey’s shoulders and pushed her back down into her chair and looked down into her face. “Rey, you are strong, but you are also good. I’ve seen that and I trust you.”

“You mean, you’re not kicking me out?” Rey asked hopefully.

“No, quite the opposite my dear. We want to ask you to stay with us.” Maz gave her a loving smile and Chewie nodded in agreement. Rey’s eyes welled with tears. She couldn’t believe after all this time, she was finally going to belong somewhere.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please ignore my lack of understanding of real sword fighting and jousting techniques.
> 
> The lovely mood board was made for me by Desiree B.!
> 
> Come be my friend on [ twitter ](https://twitter.com/mae2d2) !

Unfortunately the town already knew Rey as a boy and they couldn’t just switch her entire identity unnoticed, so they decided to keep it that way until they could figure out a solution. Rey didn’t mind anyway. She had never worn a dress and didn’t want to. If she was a girl she couldn’t be expected to help Maz and Chewie with the work of the manor and worst of all, she wouldn’t be able to use her knife or staff.

As it turns out, Chewie was an excellent fighter, in both the sword and the arrow, both of which skills Rey lacked and he was more than happy to teach her. Each morning Rey completed her chores, and then in the afternoon were her respective lessons with Maz or Chewie, with whoever wasn’t busy that day.

Chewie took her out riding, showing her how to hold a lance and hit wooden boards that hung from the trees around their property. He helped her forge her own sword and she practiced swordplay with him, and on her own against aging trees that Maz didn't mind if she ruined. She learned to shape her own bow and arrows and soon discovered that she was rubbish at the bow, but could hit a deer if she really needed to.

In turn, Maz took charge of her education, proclaiming that if she were to have any advantage in life she needed to be educated. Rey pointed out that she was an orphan and a woman so no matter what, it would not help her, but Maz was adamant that it would so Rey tried her best to take an interest in what Maz taught her, which wasn’t too difficult after she discovered how interesting the world could be. She studied letters simultaneously while Maz told her about maps and history, arithmetic, engineering, even business. Once she was more proficient in letters she could start deciphering texts on her own.

Maz had learned it all from her travels around the world, supposedly she had once been a pirate queen but Rey didn’t quite believe that story. Maz was rigorous with the coursework and Rey learned quickly.

Months passed in this new and wonderful life for Rey. She felt loved, cared for, and important and she often found tears coursing down her cheeks randomly for how grateful she felt for their kindness in taking her in. She couldn’t imagine her life being any better than it could be in this moment.

*

The sun shined down brightly on Rey’s face and she smiled up at the blue sky, squinting against the harsh light. She took a deep breath and stretched her arms out against the rough grass. She sat up with her elbows resting on the ground behind her and stared out across the valley where the Manor stood about a twenty minute ride away. She tilted her head backwards and shook it to feel her hair swish around her shoulders and onto the ground. She had never worn it so long and it made her feel beautiful.

The long hair made it difficult to pass as a boy, but Maz had decided that they would soon make the switch. They would be attending the Midsummer festival in Hosnian Prime that year which was close enough to attend, but far enough that no one would recognize her. They decided to start a rumor that Rey, the worker that Maz and Chewie had taken in for a few years, was to be sent to become a page in Coruscant and would be replaced by Maz’s niece Kira.

Rey wasn’t keen on changing her name or committing to becoming a girl, but it was getting harder to manage and there wasn’t a reason to anymore. Maz had promised she could continue to live the way she was, and that she wouldn’t force marriage upon her. She expected to live with Maz and Chewie for the foreseeable future and take care of them in their old age. She could live in Takodana forever, riding horses and sword fighting and studying.

She couldn’t believe she had been with Maz and Chewie for two years now. It seemed like she had known them forever. Over midwinter they had celebrated her fourteenth birthday. They hadn’t known when her birthday was, so she just chose a date she liked and it stuck.

Rey looked up at the sun and figured she better head home or Maz would have a heart attack over not leaving on time. She got to her feet, sashayed through the grass and swung her leg over her horse BB, a white horse with light tan patches that looked almost orange in the sunlight. Chewie had bought BB for her for her first made up birthday and they had been inseparable ever since.

She patted his flank lovingly and ran her hand through his white mane. He whinnied and nuzzled his head into her hand before she gave him a slight nudge with her foot and he started to gallop down the hill towards the manor. Her chestnut hair flew behind her, carried by the wind and the speed of the ride and Rey laughed out loud and urged BB faster. Her smile broadened and she yelled towards the sky in a surge of pure joy.

She probably looked crazy, but she didn’t care. She just shook her head at her own wildness and continued to laugh until she made it to the manor.

As she rounded towards the stables Maz must have heard the hooves because she yelled at Rey before she could even see her. “Rey! Get in here! We are going to be late!” Maz stormed out the door with her hands on her hips. “Where have you been! We need to leave before midday! Get in here and help Chewie load the wagon!” She stomped back into the kitchen as Rey swung down from BB and pulled him over to the trough before heading inside.

“Do you have your clothes packed?” Maz asked her without looking up from the food she was placing in a wicker basket.

“Yes, yes I got it all done yesterday.” Rey told her as she puttered around the kitchen looking for something to eat.

“Including the dresses?” Maz asked skeptically, gabbing a small towel to wrap some cloud bread in.

“Yes.” Rey groaned. Rey’s disdain for dresses was no secret in their household. She hadn’t worn them outside the Manor yet, but she had practiced in the house and hated every minute of it. Although she wouldn’t deny how pretty it made her waist look and it did accentuate what little chest she had. But she was always stepping on the hem and falling into furniture. She’d have to get used to them soon though, because starting tomorrow they would be her entire life.

“Aaaand the corsets?” Maz pestered accentuating her words pointedly. Rey huffed. She had threatened to rip them but was assured by an angry Maz that if she didn’t wear them she would not be taken seriously.

“Yes.” She said through gritted teeth. Maz just laughed.

“You’re a spoiled girl, you know that? You’ll only have to wear dresses outside of the house and that won’t be very often anyway.” Maz continued to chuckle as Rey sighed, walked over to the basket and plucked a small loaf out of it.

“I know, I know Maz. Thank you.” She leaned over to give Maz a peck on the cheek and moved to the table to eat her bread. Maz gave her an annoyed look but continued packing the food.

“We’re leaving after you’ve eaten and changed into your trousers. Last time to be a boy Rey.” She gave her a heavy look, placed the basket on the table, and walked into the hall leaving Rey to think about her new life and the things she will gain but the things she will have to give away.

*

Rey was told that the road to Hosnian Prime usually takes about two day cycles. The first night they camped a ways off into the woods and rose early to make it the rest of the way by nightfall. Today was the day that Rey was to become a woman, officially anyway.

Maz assured her that they shouldn’t see anyone else they know from here on, and if they do meet anyone new, they would need to meet her as a girl. So, she dressed in her comfiest, shortest dress (by comparison, it hit a little above her ankles) that was easy to move in. It perhaps was once a nice cream color but now was just a brownish tan, with some sashes that went over her shoulders and cinched at her waist. The sleeves were long and slightly ribbed.

Instead of one bun at the nape of her neck she put her long hair into three buns. Maz looked at her quizzically, “I’ve never seen that style before.” Rey looked at her while trying to tame the wisps of hair that flailed around her face.

“It was the style I kept it in before I became a boy, I think my mother did it for me.” She shrugged as she finished arranging it. She wouldn’t mention that if she wore it perhaps her mother would recognize her. Maz seemed to see right through her for she cupped her cheek in her hand and whispered,

“Rey, the belonging you seek is not behind you. It is ahead.” Rey blinked at her and smiled.

“Yes, with you and Chewie.” Maz smiled but shook her head.

“We are old and you will tire of us. Perhaps there is someone new for you.” She patted her cheek and clambered into the wagon leaving Rey standing there blankly, thinking about what she had just said. She shook her head slightly and hoisted herself up into the back with her legs dangling down. Chewie’s whip cracked at the horse's hides and they were off, traveling to her new life.

*

Hosnian Prime was the biggest city that Rey had ever seen. She had only ever been to Jakku and the towns in between the desert and Takodana, all of which were very small. Hosnian Prime had multiple manors, inns, homes and markets leading up to the city, meaning that whatever was in the city would be ever bigger and grander. As they neared the direct outskirts of the city the crowds started to thicken until there were throngs of people so strong the wagon could barely move.

“Are there always this many people?” Rey asked Maz, astonished.

“No, everyone, like us, is traveling from all over to attend the festival. It is crowded regularly, but not this much.” They wove in and out of other wagons, horses, and pedestrians until they turned down a street that led to the inn which was owned by a friend of Maz’s. Rey itched to jump off of the wagon and run to explore the city, but like the all knowing being that Maz seemed to be at times, she looked at Rey and told her to stay seated.

“We’ll have plenty of time to explore tomorrow. It is getting dark and you don’t know the way of the city yet.” She looked at her pointedly and Rey frowned, bummed.

Rey wasn’t sure what that meant but took it in stride. She continued to glance at market stalls overfilled with jogan fruits and bantha meat skewers, racks of dresses and tunics, tables full of pottery, jewelry, and occasional blacksmith shops emitting sparks from the windows as they hammered swords and sharpened axes. A few boys around her age took notice and would smile and nod her way making her blush. She had never once been looked at that way by anyone, and she didn’t know quite how to feel about it. One boy on a horse looked like he wanted to come over and talk to her, so she ducked her head in embarrassment hoping he would get the hint and turn away.

Luckily they arrived at the inn right then and she jumped down to grab her satchel and chest. Maz quickly jumped down next to her and shooed her telling her to put the chest down.

“Ladies do not carry chests of clothes!” She told her, pushing the wooden monstrosity out of her arms and back into the wagon. Rey folded her arms and blew air out of her nose.

“I’m not a lady though.” Rey said like a petulant child. Maz rolled her eyes and grabbed her hand to lead her into the inn and start up the stairs.

“Well, technically you are. Chewie and I may be a little destitute but we do still hold the title of Lords of Takodana and as such, because you are my niece, technically you are now a lady.”

“Wait, wait, wait, I’m noble?” She gasped as they stepped through a door that had two beds, one four poster big enough for two people and one small cot with a shabby mattress in the corner by the window.

“Yes, I thought you would have that figured out by now, being smart and all, but I guess it didn’t get through your thick head.” Maz poked her in the side and Rey rolled her eyes at her but couldn’t help but chuckle as Maz continued as they surveyed their room. “You know the way of the nobility, you know how it works. How did you not put that together?”

“I guess I just thought it couldn’t apply to me because I’m nobody.” Rey said, shrugging. She meandered over to the window and leaned out to look at the bustling street below. In the distance she could see the spires of a cathedral, surrounded by birds twirling around them playfully, its bells tolling loudly over the din outside.

“Well, not to us, and not so to the empire. We’ll go over some rules tonight so you don’t act rashly again and blow our cover. If you’re going to pass as a lady technically you would have had years of grooming and training.” Maz laughed, and Rey laughed as well, both of them knowing how silly it would be for Rey to act ladylike even once.

A few men then entered the room just then, carrying the wooden chests and placing them at the foots of their beds. Chewie must still be downstairs conversing with the owner. Or he overheard their conversation and wasn’t keen on nobility lessons. The men left with stiff nods and they were alone once again.

“I don’t know how I’m going to do this.” Rey put her face in her hands, sitting down hard on her cot. “I’m not ready to give up my freedom.” She looked up to see Maz looking at her with sad eyes.

“I know, but I’m sure you’ll find other things about growing up that will make it worth it. I promise.”

The rest of the night was spent going over the ways that a lady should act, etiquette rules, safe topics of conversation, courting and such. It was a lot of information but most of it she had picked up from observing women in town and it figured it shouldn’t be too hard. The hard part would just be having to remember that she had to follow those rules too.

Chewie came up a little while later telling them about a masquerade ball that was happening for the nobles the next evening as an opening to the festival. They agreed it would be good for Rey to go to start getting to know the nobility in a low pressure setting, as no one would be able to see her face, and decided to go shopping for a mask during the festival tomorrow.

Her head swimming with all kinds of frivolous rules and regulations, she bid them goodnight and dreamed of tripping over her dress into a mud pit with a huge splash.

*

The day dawned bright and cloudless as they made their way through the city center towards the open field where the games were held. The crowds were thick even in the morning as the people eagerly awaited seeing the knights arrive in their full regalia. Rey had never seen a knight before and wasn’t sure what to expect.

She wore her white dress again; she only had three anyway, and there was a bounce to her step as she took in all the people, flags, food stalls, and generally cheery atmosphere. True, it smelled like a pig pen, but it was exciting and she wouldn’t let anything get her down, not even her expectations as a lady. Today she would get to see real sword fighting, jousting and other games that she had practiced and she couldn't wait to see how others did them and what tricks she could pick up from experienced fighters.

“We have a little while before the joust starts—” Maz started to say and Rey interrupted her.

“Can we watch the sword fighting? I can hear it from here!” She hopped up on her toes eagerly, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the fighting arenas sectioned off by wooden fences.

Chewie chuckled and led the way while Maz grumbled about needing to shop for the ball but Rey could not care less about shopping for masks. She had never learned to dance, and didn't feel like standing around all night watching teenagers try to flirt with each other. She had seen enough of that in town.

They came up on the outskirts of the crowd for one of the fighting rings and Rey looked at Maz for permission to forge ahead, she nodded to her and Rey ducked and danced her way through to the front of the crowd and against the fence. She placed two feet on the lowest wooden beam of the fence and hoisted herself up to get a better look. Two knights clad in heavy silver armor, one with an orange plume on top of his helmet, were locked hilt to hilt before one kicked the other in the knee and he stumbled back and barely ducked in time as the other knight swung at his head.

Rey cheered along with the rest of the crowd, clutching tightly to the wooden beam as the knight with the orange plume continued to kick the other knight around the ring, eventually winning the round. As soon as the other knight was lying on the ground and hadn’t moved for a few moments, the crowd cheered and the knight with the orange plume held his sword up into the sky and gave a fierce cry.

The herald dressed in scarlet called out from his place on the elevated box, “The winner of this round, Sir Dameron!” The crowd broke out in fresh cheers and applause before starting to dissipate to go watch another match somewhere else. Rey continued to watch, curious, as some teenage boys rushed forward to each knight and helped rid them of their weapons and armor. She was too far away to hear them talking, but jumped when Maz came up behind her and spoke.

“Those are the squires, they assist the knights in their duties, and in a few years they too will become knights.” Rey didn’t take her eyes off of the boy that was hauling away Sir Dameron’s equipment, as the knight slapped him on the back and they both chuckled heartily as they walked to a nearby tent. Chewie must have come up behind her too because she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.

“Come, let us find a less crowded fight and I can point out techniques that we can practice at home.” Rey smiled and flung herself off of the fence and bounded after Chewie, excited about the prospect of finding new ways to beat him.

They spent the rest of the morning moving from fight to fight, Chewie pointing out ways that she could improve her skills based on others movements and styles. None of the fights were nearly as good as Sir Dameron’s, although the majority of the fights they watched were between squires.

She quickly realized that if she wanted to, she could hold her own against these boys. They were sloppy and slow, and often tried to win by using just brute strength. She itched to pull out her own sword and challenge them, but alas it was under her bed back in Takodana.

She became even more confident when they walked by a fight with two squires wielding staffs. They were obviously both swordsmen, as they held a grip that resembled more of a blade grip and they wielded them like long swords. Rey almost laughed out loud at how ridiculous they looked.

“Aren’t they in a school for this? Why are they so terrible?” Rey asked Chewie, while watching them in astonishment as they swung and missed each other repeatedly. He scratched his beard and leaned over to her.

“Well, in regards to the staff, it is seen as an inferior weapon, so most don’t spend time perfecting it. They only perform it at festivals because it could be an easy win to gain some credits.” He said thoughtfully. Rey considered this and wished she could show them just how deadly a staff could be against a sword. They wouldn’t call it inferior then. Chewie eyed her serious expression and he smiled and chuckled.

“Perhaps we should take you to the market, I’m half afraid you’re going to jump into the ring and challenge one of these boys and I’m going to have to pull you away kicking and screaming.” That pulled a laugh out of Rey.

“How did you know that’s exactly what I was thinking?” Rey asked him incredulously, still laughing and shaking her head.

“I know you, and your pride. Don’t tell Maz but I’m afraid you may be wasted on becoming a lady.” Chewie shrugged off of the railing and motioned her to follow. She trailed close behind him thinking about what he had just said.

She still had a few more years until she would really start to look like a girl. Maybe she could go back and still be a boy and then switch at the next midsummer festival? Maz wouldn’t go for it though, Rey thought bitterly. But if she could convince her, if Chewie could convince her...

Rey strode by his side and looked up into his face hopefully.

“What could I do instead?” She asked. He thought for a second, scratching his head.

“I’m not sure. I wish you could be taught by more than just me n’ Maz, but there’s nowhere we could send you as a girl that would continue to let you fight. Really, they only way to progress in that area would be to become a squire.” Rey’s eyes lit up, hopeful, ignoring the skepticism that laced his words.

“Do you think I could do that? I know I can still pass as a boy, but do you think I could keep up?”

“You know, I have thought about this and I wasn’t sure at first but after seeing these fights...I really think you could.” Chewie said and Rey’s heart just about dropped into her stomach in shock.

“Really? Do you think Maz would let me?” She was practically jumping out of her skin which made him laugh.

“I have no idea what Maz will think. She’s unpredictable that one. But I’m nervous it wouldn’t go well for you. If you were found out...you would be ruined.” He said mournfully.

“I could do it though! I could become a knight!” She almost yelled and Chewie shushed her. She continued in a softer voice, “I’ve never known what I wanted to do with my life but this feels right.” She faced him head on, basically pleading with him now.

“Well... let’s not be hasty. Don’t tell Maz what we talked about. We’ll observe the squires and knights over the next few days, and if you give a real effort into being a lady, then we can decide which one seems right.” He crossed his arms and looked down at her skeptically. Rey thought that was a fair trade and nodded her head, excited about the prospect of sword fighting, jousting, and protecting those who can’t protect themselves.


	3. Chapter 3

They found Maz in the market with two masks in her hands looking back and forth between them.

“Which one do you think goes better with your dress, Rey?” Maz asked, too preoccupied to notice Rey’s buoyant energy. 

Rey snorted, “You mean Kira?” Maz blinked up at her.

“Oh, yes, right, I guess we should start doing that.” She held up the masks to Rey. “Which one, Kira?” One was a green that matched her dress, and the other was cream with a little scalloped edge. She looked at the stall and noticed that these two were the simplest of the fare. The other masks on display boasted feathers, shells, shiny stones, lace and bright colors. Maz knew Rey too well.

“I think I like the cream one. It’ll contrast the dress well.” Rey said, ‘and make me look tan’ she thought to herself. Most girls wanted a fairer complexion but she enjoyed her tan skin, loving how as she stayed outside more, little freckles appeared all over her cheeks and shoulders. 

“Perfect.” Maz said. She purchased the white one for Rey and two more simple black ones for her and Chewie.

They followed the smell of roasting pig and picked up some lunch before the joust was about to start. There was a section of tiered seating for the nobles that they wandered over to. Chewie gave their name and station to the herald standing watch and they were let through and guided near the top of the seats. They may be nobles, but it was obvious they didn’t have much money. Rey didn't care much, she could see great from this high up. 

The jousting ring was huge, and bustling with life. At the center of the noble seating area was a raised platform covered with a canopy meant for the highest dignitaries present, but were still empty. At both ends of the oval were tents which must have housed the changing areas for the knights. Around those tents on the edge of the ring stood other knights and squires, perched against the railing, waiting for their turn at the joust or just watching to study their opponents. The other side of the ring was the standing room for the people, already filling with hundreds of bodies all excitedly waving flags, feasting on meat skewers, and cheering. 

Rey couldn’t help but smile broadly at the insanity. After a little while of waiting and idle chatting, there was a herald of trumpets. The crowds stilled and quieted as the Duke of Hosnian Prime and his family entered onto the raised platform. The herald was announcing their names but Rey could barely make it out over the talking and cheering. The herald announced more names that Rey couldn’t hear.

The trumpets sounded again and two knights emerged from the colorful canopies on the opposite ends of the ring, accompanied by an entourage of squires, pages, and equipment. The squires made quick checks to their armor and lances to make sure everything was in place before handing off the reins of the horses to the men as they sidled up onto their steeds.

The herald bellowed into the stands and she could just make out their names this time.

“Round one! Sir Peavy and Sir Canady!” The crowd broke into cheers as the two knights lowered their helmets and reached down to grab their lances from the squires. Two lances were hoisted into the air, the horses pawing nervously at the ground as the crowd waited with baited breath for the flag. 

The herald raised the red and gold flag into the air, waiting for complete silence. The tension was thick as he looked at both horsemen, then to the center of the ring and swung the flag down in a fluid motion.

The horses were kicked into action and thundered down the lanes. Both knights lowered their lances as they galloped towards each other at a dangerous speed. Rey gripped the edge of the bench, her knuckles white as she leaned forward and held her breath. Sir Peavy’s lance was the first to land the blow, knocking Sir Canady’s lance from his hand.

The crowd roared, sending up a cloud of dust with their stomping and jumping, and Rey jumped in her seat, cheering loudly and clapping her hands, not bothering to hide the huge smile on her face. She couldn’t wait to get home and try out jousting for real. She doubted Chewie would want to go against her. Perhaps she could rig a dummy to hold a lance that she could practice against. Maz grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the seat with a pointed look.

She held the same fascination through the next few rounds, cheering loudly with each hit, but resisting the urge to jump out of her seat, lest Maz glare at her again. Chewie whispered the mechanics and strategy in her ear and she made mental notes of how each knight held their lances, angled their bodies, and adjusted speed depending on their strength and how she could use those to her advantage. 

After a few rounds she looked around and realized she should probably tone it down. Perhaps she was being too vocal about her enthusiasm. Maz was getting frustrated with her, and a few people had already been eying her strangely. Hopefully no one else was looking at her.

She glanced around quickly checking to see if anyone was looking at her, when she locked eyes with a mountain of a man. He was young, and had a very fair complexion that contrasted greatly with his shoulder length black hair, but that’s all she could see from so far away. He scowled at her and glanced away, turning to walk away into the competition tent. ‘Well that was strange.’ She thought to herself. 

She turned back to the the last round of the current match, and tried to curb her enthusiasm to not upset the grumpy giant. The current match finished and Rey turned to look who the next contestants were, a frown coming to her face when she saw that man exiting from the tent and mounting his horse. 

The stallion was pitch black, as were his saddle and banners. The knight wore a black tunic and trousers and his armor even had a dark sheen to it, the whole picture making him look like some sort of god of death. He looked her way again, but she couldn’t tell if he gave her a sour face as he quickly lowered the visor on his helmet. He was extremely broad, especially underneath his armor, and for the first time in her life Rey wondered what it would be like to be encircled by a man’s arms.

Rey had been so captivated by this man that she hadn’t noticed that his opponent was Sir Dameron. She eagerly turned in her seat to study him as well. Chewie was uncharacteristically silent but she was too excited to see Sir Dameron fight again, wondering if he was just as good at jousting as the sword. She realized this was the last joust of the day, meaning that these two knights must be the best.

She watched as Sir Dameron trotted over to the part of the noble’s stands nearest to his end. A lady in the front row with a bulbous purple dress waved her lilac handkerchief at him, and with a grand flourish, he kissed her hand and accepted the cloth. He stuffed it into his armor, pumping his fist in the air while the crowd cheered him on. She shook her head at the preposterous show.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, she found her gaze wandering back to the black clad man whose head was turning from her direction to face his opponent. He seemed extremely tense. The herald stepped up to the platform.

“Our last joust of the first day of the festival! Sir Dameron versus Sir Ren!” The crowd broke into the loudest cheers yet, chants of REN, REN, REN could be heard over the din. Flags all over started to rise, black ones and orange ones. The other knights didn’t seem to have quite as many fans as these two did.

Rey wasn’t sure who she wanted to win. Probably Dameron, he seemed like a good sort. Sir Ren hadn’t once smiled and Rey very much liked smiling. However, she refrained from yelling either of their names. There was no reason, none at all.

The herald dropped the flag and the horses thundered down the lane. Dameron’s lance went down almost straight away like most did, but Ren took a little longer to drop his. ‘What a fool’, Rey thought. ‘He’s going to get himself killed’. But the thought was soon proven moot as at the last minute Ren dropped his lance and positioned it right in time to knock into Dameron, slamming hard into his shoulder and almost forcing him from the saddle, winning that round. 

The crowd roared with approval and black flags waved frantically through the air, swirling the dust into eddies as it rose from the ground from the stomping. She turned to Chewie to ask him about that particular strategy but he was too busy glowering at the floor and Rey wasn’t in the mood, so she turned back to watch. 

As the horses were rounding back to their starting positions Ren trotted close by the fence, helmet facing up into the stands. ‘Perhaps he was looking for someone he knew’, Rey thought. She eyed him curiously before turning to look at Dameron being handed another lance by his squire. 

The second round was won by Dameron, and Rey cheered loudly and clapped hard, happy that he was able to win a round. She smiled brightly and glanced down to see Ren trotting by, helmet turned toward the stand again. His body was rigid and his fists were tightly clenching the reins. He seemed like the type that hated to lose. 

It was now one to one, and Rey really didn't know who would win the match. She leaned forward in her seat, almost coming out of it. Once again the flag dropped and the horses raced towards each other. Ren dropped his lance earlier this time, but at the last second, rose slightly out of his saddle gaining height on Dameron, and slamming his lance into his stomach, launching him out of his seat and onto the ground in a puff of dust, the lilac handkerchief floating airily into the dirt after him.

Rey clapped her hand over her mouth in shock, eyes wide. She heard multiple people around her yelling in surprise, and the crowd across the way was in absolute chaos, jumping and dancing around.

“I’ve never seen that done before!”

“What was that?”

“Is that even allowed?”

“It must be, he is the king’s favored knight.”

Again, as Ren rounded back toward the tent he glanced towards the stands, Rey’s hand was still over her mouth and she slowly lowered it, trying to see who he was looking at. There was a group of pretty girls a few rows ahead of her giggling into their handkerchiefs, he was probably looking at them. He then kicked his horse into a trot, dropped his lance off with his page and turned his horse to leap over the fence and down the road and out of sight. A confused murmur went through the crowd. 

Rey looked over to the Duke in charge, who looked rather annoyed, and the lady with the braids sat with her head in her hands. The Duke motioned for the herald and the herald announced that Sir Ren was the winner and that the games were finished for that day. The weird tension lifted and soon the crowds were loud and cheering again, making their way to food stalls and pubs to grab dinner and drinks before the partying was to begin. 

*

“Suck it in girl!” Maz yelled as she pulled at the fraying corset strings.

“I’m trying!” Rey yelled hotly back, sucking in her stomach with great exaggeration.

“If you can speak you’re not trying hard enough!” Maz gave a firm yank on the strings that produced a yelp out of Rey.

“It’s not that important! No one knows who I am, and no one will care.” Rey grumped, sucking in another deep breath.

“Oh yes they will. You are new so everyone will be curious, and if you don’t want to stand out, like I know you don’t, then you need to look like everyone else so you can blend in.” Maz did have a point there. She in no way wanted to catch anyone’s attention and if she dressed differently or wore anything wrong, the young ladies would devour her whole. She was not looking forward to life as a noble, that’s for sure. What was so important about tiny waists?

With a great tug, Maz was finally able to tie off the corset and helped her slip her green gown over the top, and was about to do her hair when Rey stopped her. Maz gave her a pointed look but handed the ties to her instead.

“At least put some ribbons in it to dress it up a bit.” She said sternly and left the room to accompany Chewie downstairs while he waited for them to get ready. She ran the comb through her tangled locks, and put her hair up in her three buns wrapping green ribbons around each bun, with the tails trailing down her back.

Her dress was a forest green with golden lining. There was a faint pattern of vertical stripes with the dark and a lighter green. The front had a deep V shaped bodice piece that when to her navel, and the top just barely went to her shoulders. The sleeves went to her wrists but also boasted fabric that extended from her elbows down to her thighs to create a dramatic effect. 

She smoothed her hands down the fabric and looked at herself in the grimy mirror that was attached to the wall. She thought she looked rather good. She didn’t have any makeup but that didn’t matter because it was a masquerade, so no one would be wearing any, right?

*

She was wrong. The first thing she noticed was just how much makeup some girls were able to put on even with masks. Their lips were tinted rouge and their cheeks a bright pink, and some had added white powder to their faces. Their hair was done in elegant styles with bows and feathers and their gowns were made of shimmering fabrics with ruffles and embellishments aplenty.

However, Rey quickly forgot how out of place she looked as her gaze fell upon a buffet table lining the back wall. She made a quick excuse to Maz who had stopped to talk to someone, and practically ran over to the food. 

The long oak table was full to bursting of all kinds of delicious things that Rey had never seen. The red and gold brocade table cloth was covered with breads baked with oil and rosemary, cuts of meat that had been rubbed with seasonings and spit fired, tarts with glazed fruit on top, pies filled with minced meats and potatoes, sweet cloud bread, and so many other things she didn’t recognize. 

Not knowing where to start, she grabbed a few different items onto a silver plate and roamed the hall for an empty bench. The masquerade was being hosted by the Duke of Hosnian Prime, the same man who had presided over the joust earlier that day. The manor was in the center of the city and huge in comparison to Takodana Manor. In fact, now that she knew what a real manor was, Takodana seemed more like a slightly larger house. Sure, it had servants’ quarters, but that was the extent of its manor -ness. It had one kitchen, one table, three bedrooms and a few drawing rooms.

In contrast, Hosnian Prime Manor was more like a castle. The front was gated against the city, and huge stone steps led into the foyer filled with rich tapestries, and shields hanging on the wall, painted with the Hosnian Crest, and what Rey assumed was their family coat of arms. Chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceilings, filled with hundreds of candles, the flames blinking high above. Beyond the foyer was a receiving hall, and beyond that was the grand hall. That’s all she had seen so far, but just that was enough to show that the Manor was big enough that it would take her days to scavenge through the whole thing thoroughly.

She finally found a wooden bench, that was half hidden behind a large stone pillar that connected with the high ceiling, where she could eat in peace and observe the people around her. She decided to try the meat first and tucked in to the seasoned one on a small stick and groaned at the taste. She continued trying her selections, looking up occasionally to watch the dancers.

They looked beautiful. The large arched windows on the back wall illuminated the floor with moonlight, and low hanging chandeliers cast pockets of light and shadows all around, adding to the mysterious nature of the masque. 

The music from a small group at the front of the hall swelled and slowed to a stop and the dancing couples stopped to bow to each other and clap politely. She was about to bite into a fruit tart when she heard a small cough next to her.

“Um, hello, would you care to dance?” A dark skinned hand held out to her and she looked up the owners arm and into his face. Well, what could be seen of his face under his mask. He wore a red tunic with a yellow sash and brown trousers. His mask was also red.

“Uh, I, uh” She coughed into her fist “I don’t know how to dance, sorry.” She then motioned at her plate, “and I’d kind of like to finish if that’s alright.” She had never felt so awkward.

“Oh, yes, not to worry. I could teach you if you like?” He asked hopefully, retracting his hand to finger at his sash.

“No, no it’s alright,” she waved her hands awkwardly, “I don’t want to trip you up.” She really didn't want to make a fool of herself just yet. 

“Well is it alright if I sit with you?” He asked sheepishly . She glanced into his eyes, there was warmth and kindness there, and she thought she could trust him.

“Please,” she motioned towards her bench and he turned and sat next to her but far enough away to be polite. 

“I’m Finn Storm by the way, of House Stormhold.” He must have been expecting some kind of reaction, but Rey didn’t know what he wanted so she just shook his hand.

“I’m R— Kira. Kira Kanata of Manor Takodana.” He looked down, confused as she shook his hand and eyed her suspiciously but didn't say anything. She quickly let go of his hand.

Right then an older woman stormed up to them pointing at Finn. She was a lovely lady that resembled Finn, but her hair was greying, and wound in tight curls and piled on top of her head. 

“If she’s not going to dance then you must find someone who will. We must be prepared, you know! You will need to be married when you’re knighted! Come Finn.” 

“Yes, Gran.” Finn replied, forlorn. She turned to leave and walked briskly away, clearly expecting him to follow immediately. “I’m sorry about that.” He motioned towards his grandmother’s retreating back, and standing slowly.

“It’s quite alright, did she say you are going to be a knight?” Rey asked eagerly.

“Yes! I am to be sent to Coruscant after the summer to become a squire.” He puffed his chest out proudly. Rey wanted to exclaim that she too was thinking about becoming a squire but quickly stopped herself. Good thing this boy hadn’t seen her face. Well, becoming a squire was a long shot anyway, but she still wanted to keep her options open.

“Well I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor Sir Finn.” She smiled brightly at him and he beamed at the title and then turned to follow his grandmother. 

She once again picked up her tart and shoved it into her mouth, moaning at the taste. Food really was just too delicious. Her delightful moment was once again interrupted by a voice that made her jump.

“I didn’t realize a woman could have so much of an appetite.” A deep voice remarked. Rey whirled her head around to see a tall, dark haired man leaning against a pillar a few strides away from her bench. He wore a black tunic with black trousers, black cape that covered his hair and most of his head, and wore a plain black mask that covered most of his face. This man must like black as much as that one knight does. 

Rey didn’t quite care what this man thought but it was still a rather rude remark. “A woman can eat however much she pleases.” She pointedly turned around and made to eat a piece of bread she hadn’t tried yet. He chuckled darkly and she could see he stepped a little closer to her. He stood by her bench with his hands clasped behind his back.

“I also didn't realize that a woman could be so interested in sword fighting and jousting.” He whispered, his tone dangerous.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She lifted her chin in the air defiantly and turned to deliberately look anywhere but at him and continued to snack from her plate.

“I saw you observe some of the fights and the jousting. You were cheering louder than some of the men.”

“How do you know that was me?” She snapped back.

“Your hair. No one wears it like that.” He laughed and she was so annoyed at his presumptuous disposition. How dare he insult her hair? And her interests? She didn’t have to stay here and talk to him if she didn’t want to. She grabbed her plate, rose up to walk away and promptly tripped on the hem of her dress sending the plate skittering across the floor, and her body quickly following the plate to land on the ground.

Fast as lightning, the mysterious stranger grabbed her arms to steady her, and put her back on her feet. She felt him lightly squeeze her arms and she quickly yanked her arms out of his hold. She picked up the plate and started to storm away, except he wasn’t giving up apparently. 

“How do you know so much about sword fighting? I saw you making sword motions with your hands. You know what you’re talking about.” He kept stride next to her as she looked for a page to hand her plate off to. She huffed in frustration seeing no one and headed back to the buffet table to drop the plate off. He again followed her.

“I don’t have to tell you anything.” She told him, annoyed that he was still following her.

“Come on, you know I can take whatever I want.” His voice sounded as though he was wearing the biggest smirk in the entire empire and she turned on him furious. 

“I don’t know who you think you are, or why you think you can say such things but I am not giving you anything” She poked him in the chest before turning around and walking away. But unfortunately, the darn man wouldn’t give up and quickly caught back up.

“Who are you anyway?”

“Nobody.”

“Nobody?”

“Yes.”

“Well, nobody, my name is K—“ he coughed into his fist, “uh, Ben, my name is Ben.”

“Well, it’s been a pleasure to meet you Ben now please leave me alone.” She spit out. 

“Come on, I just want to talk.” He pleaded in a mock tone. Goodness, he was insufferable.

“Why?” She stopped and turned so abruptly he almost ran into her. He folded his arms and smirked at her.

“I just want to know why a pretty young woman like yourself would be interested in swords and jousting.” He said haughtily. What a sexist bastard. She rolled her eyes and moved to walk away. He grasped her upper arm, and she turned a pointed glare at him and he quickly let go. 

“Because not only ugly dumb boys are allowed to like swords and jousting.” She told him. At that he actually threw his head back in laughter. It was a really nice life, and it even seemed pretty genuine, but Rey didn't want to give him the satisfaction of a smile, so she continued to stare at him coldly, crossing her arms across her chest, realizing too late that it pushed her breasts up, already on display thanks to the corset. She quickly dropped her arms but he had already noticed and gave her a sly grin. 

“Dance with me.” He implored her, stepping into her space so that she had to crane her neck to look up at him. 

“You're too old for me.” she took a step back which he ignored by stepping closer to her again.

“How old are you?”

“Fourteen.”

“I’m twenty-three, that’s a perfectly normal courting age difference.”

“Hardly.”

He shrugged, “It’s been done.”

She rolled her eyes. There was just no getting rid of this man. “I don’t know how to dance.” She crossed her arms and looked at him with an annoyed expression, which he unfortunately couldn’t see due to the mask.

“You need a teacher, I could show you.”

“I’d rather trip and fall again.”

“I’m okay with that too as long as I get to catch you.”

She sighed in defeat. She looked around for another escape route. 

“Can you take off your mask? You were too far away when I saw you earlier—“

She glanced sharply up at him, puzzled, when Maz gripped her arm and yanked Rey towards her. 

“Kira, where have you been? I’ve been needing to introduce you to dozens of people and I couldn’t find you anywhere. Come.” Rey smirked up at Ben, the dark stranger and gave him a mock salute, relieved to finally have an excuse for him to leave her alone. As she was pulled away she heard him whisper ‘Kira’. 

*

The rest of the night Rey had to fend off prospective dance partners and aloof teenage boys who assumed she only wanted to talk about stitching and painting. The more she was treated like a girl the angrier she became. She was not ready for this life. She hated being flirted with and she hated being treated like there was nothing but air in her head. 

She begged Maz to let them leave early, and they agreed, but only because Chewie took pity on her and told Maz it would be better to leave before the drunks started to leave the pubs. Much to her relief she didn’t see Ben the rest of the night. She would have to style her hair differently tomorrow so he wouldn’t recognize her. And she would have to keep her cheering to the minimum.

Rey complained the whole walk home about stupid boys and stupid dancing while Maz and Chewie listened and glanced at each other with amused expressions. Upon arriving at the inn, Rey tugged her dress over her head.

“I never want to do that again.” She grasped the strings of the corset and forcefully tugged them open and letting it fall to the floor, not bothering to pick it up as she shoved her sleeping tunic over her head. When she looked up, Maz and Chewie were giving each other looks and glancing at her. “What?” She asked.

Chewie looked at Maz and she sighed heavily as she sat down on the faded blue quilt of her four poster with her head in her hands. Chewie cleared his throat.

“I talked to Maz, and we agreed to let you become a squire if that is what you wish to do.”

Rey’s eyes widened and her face broke into a grin that was so wide it hurt. “Are you serious?! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She ran over to Chewie and launched herself into his arms hugging him tightly around the middle. She let go and tackled Maz onto the bed in a hug so tight that Maz whacked her on the shoulder to get her to let go. She righted them both and realized that Maz was sniffling. Rey grabbed her hands and held them. 

“I always wanted children, especially a daughter.” Maz began in a low voice. “I think of you as my own.” She looked up at Rey with tears in her eyes and her own eyes started to wet. “I thought I could help you become a grand lady, but I realize that is not your path. Nor is your path to be dictated by us. You were not given to us right away. You have had a lifetime of making smart decisions for yourself and you deserve to continue to make your own choices no matter how much I wanted to be your mother and make them for you.” She cupped Rey’s cheek in her hand, “We love you Rey.”

Rey burst into tears and hugged Maz tightly, as Chewie sat down beside them and wrapped them both in his long arms. The three sat there weeping, holding tight onto each other. After a long while, and as the tears started to subside, Rey whispered into Maz’s shoulder. “I love you too.”


	4. Chapter 4

They decided it was best to leave right away so that no one else would meet Rey to give her a better chance at staying anonymous. Luckily they had only attended the masque and she had only talked to one person who she would see in the future, Finn. But she had a feeling things would work out.

They stayed the morning in the Inn while Chewie went to the Empire’s royal hall to put in Rey’s name for the start of the next group of Squires. He provided them with “proof” of Rey’s birth as their nephew, making her noble and eligible for knighthood. He returned with her reference scroll to show at the school in Coruscant and they quietly exited the city, Rey staying under her hood the whole time in the middle of the wagon. 

She still had about 40 day cycles until she was expected to arrive at Coruscant and she spent those days training and learning all she could about the duties of a squire. Maz hadn’t included those in her earlier studies, and neither she nor Chewie knew too much to begin with. Most of the boys were sure to be very knowledgeable already of the duties of squires and knights, so she crammed as much as she could from books in the library into her head. 

In the mornings she would run around the land of the manor a few times before moving on to sword fighting and archery. In the afternoons when it was too hot for fighting, She would sit with Maz by the lake and read stories of knights, and Maz would tell her about her adventures during her lifetime and what she could expect from Coruscant.

She didn’t venture into town so that no one would get suspicious of the false rumors. Luckily no one ever came out to the Manor so no one saw her and they didn't have to worry about a cover story. 

She and Maz decided that she would be their long lost nephew, born and raised in Jakku at a small noble house and then transferred to Takodana once her heritage had been discovered. They figured that would be sufficient, and so few people from Jakku ever ventured to Coruscant, and no one cared enough about Jakku that none would know anything about the noble houses there. 

The night before she was to leave Maz cut her hair short like a boy’s, so she couldn’t even put it in a low bun. She weeped for her long hair but knew it was a necessary evil. She kept some long parts that framed her face to hide her feminine features, and left a little on the end that she could braid. 

They packed her long tunics to hide her legs, they made new breast-bands so that she could wind her chest tight enough to make her flat, and packed plenty of rags for her monthly bleeding. 

Her few clothes filled her satchel, and in the side saddle of BB was her sword, her bow and quiver of arrows, and her staff that she had carved herself. It was time to go. Maz had tried to get Chewie to ride with her to Coruscant but both she and him were adamant that she could do it on her own, she had done it on her own before, and if she couldn’t, then how could she ever hope to become a knight?

She hugged them both tightly goodbye, ducking her head so they couldn’t see her tears. They promised that they would come to Coruscant in a year's time if they hadn’t heard from her. With that she leapt onto BB and kicked him into a gallop and ran down the road, the manor getting smaller and smaller as she turned around to wave until she couldn’t see them past the forest.

She was alone for the first time in two years.

*

The journey to Coruscant generally takes about four days. Two days to Hosnian Prime, another day to Corellia and then another day's ride to Coruscant. Rey made sure to only ride during the day as Maz had instructed, and sleep far off the path and out of sight. She was used to sleeping in odd places, and decided to climb up trees until she found a perch that was large enough for her bedroll. She would tie BB to the trunk below and if anyone were to come by, she could drop from above for an element of surprise. 

However, she needn’t have worried, because as she was a male again, people went back to ignoring her. She was just a scrawny boy, too unimportant for men to notice and too small for teenage girls to notice. To stay away from towns and pubs, she scavenged the forest for nuts, berries and fruit, perfectly fine to eat off the land.

Maz had given her a few credits to get her there safely should she need food, supplies, or an inn. However, it hadn’t rained at all, and she had been lucky with food so she thought she might as well save the credits for something more important. 

She arrived in Coruscant late in the afternoon the day before she was to report to the academy. Before going into the city she found a small town on the outskirts and looked for a dilapidated barn. She found one with a giant hole in the roof and next to it stood foundations for a new barn. Perfect. 

The inside was empty except for some scattered hay and rusty tools. She lay out her bedroll onto the dusty floor and fell into a fitful slumber.

*

Rey awoke to a rooster calling and soft morning light that was barely peeking in through the cracks in the wall. It was early enough that the sky was a soft lavender color and the people to whom the barn belonged to were still asleep. 

Rey nudged BB out around the back and out towards the road. She arrived at the city gates and honestly, Rey couldn’t keep her jaw from dropping. She thought Hosnian Prime was big, she wasn’t even in the heart of the city and Coruscant was the largest metropolis she had ever seen. Streets and buildings with multiple stories sprawled everywhere, there were churches and cathedrals on what seemed like every other street, and market stalls along all the main avenues.

She was riding deeper and deeper into the city when she realized she had absolutely no idea where she was going. She was just ogling the city and enjoying the hustle and bustle of the residents. 

All kinds of people moved around her and BB. All classes and types with all kinds of strange styles, she even heard a few different languages being spoken that must have been from the outer regions. 

She saw men selling meat roasted on sticks and women selling strings of clay beads and colorful shawls. There was an entire street filled with all kinds of animals in cages, tweeting, barking, and screeching constantly. The din gave her a headache and the entire street smelled like dung. 

The worst smelling street by far though was the one lined with meat shops. Large men with aprons splattered in blood waved giant meat cleavers through the air, chopping and wrapping meat effortlessly. Fresh cuts hung from stalls and shop windows and the smell almost made Rey throw up. She urged BB a little faster to get away from it.

She ventured until she came to the center of the city, to the gates of the castle of King Snoke. The gates ran farther than she could see. The castle beyond was quite impressive, a huge building of dark stone with turrets and spires jutting out from multiple surfaces, red and black flags whipping in the high breeze.

Near the castle was the cathedral of Coruscant. Rey recognized some of its features from her architecture lessons with Maz. She noted the flying buttresses and the carved scenes above the vaulted door. The front boasted a huge rose window with colorful stained glass. Perhaps another day she could see the inside, but she was running out of time. 

She rode up to a guard stationed along the gate of the castle, hoping they would be knowledgeable of the city. There was a guard every few strides it seemed.

“Excuse me, do you know where the Royal Squire Academy of Coruscant is?” Rey asked him, making sure to keep her voice gruff.

The guard looked up at her with a bored expression. “It’s in the northern section of the city. Keep following this avenue,” he pointed to the opposite direction that she had come, “until it merges with the next main avenue. Take the right and a little ways down you’ll find it. You’ll notice the amount of land, outside the gates there’s a painted sign.” He looked down and forward again, the conversation over. 

Rey muttered a thanks and pulled the reins to turn onto the correct avenue. After a little while of riding, she noticed that more trees were appearing and soon she saw open fields in the middle of the city. She noted the stone archway that must lead to the academy. Carved in intricate painted lettering along the arch read The Royal Coruscant Academy of Squires. Down each side of the gate hung red and black banners with the insignia of the Empire.

Coruscant flags whipped from the battlements of the castle in the distance and above the stone archway. A guard standing at his post moved forward and asked her to present her papers. She showed him the scroll with her credentials and he opened the gates for her to pass through. She rode along the rocky pathway that led to the front of the castle, which was lined by great trees. She was unsure where exactly she was supposed to go but luckily there seemed to be a receiving party at the front doors. One boy her age was handing his horse off to a page, and another was talking with a man at the door. 

A page came up to her and grabbed the reins for her horse.

“You part of the new squire group?” He squeaked. It seems his voice was yet to drop. Rey nodded and he nodded back. “Right, I’ll take your horse, you take your bag and weapons.” Rey was nervous to just give a random boy BB, and he could tell cause he looked at her with a smile. “Don’t worry sir, we’ll take good care of her. The stables are just there over that ridge, you can visit later tonight if you wish.”

Rey nodded again and swung herself to the ground and grabbed her satchel, sheathed her sword in her scabbard, and slung her bow, quiver and staff over her shoulder. 

“What’s your name?” Rey inquired of the page. 

“Temiri Blagg, sir.” He responded eagerly. Rey gave him a small grin.

“I’m Rey... Kanata.” She held out her hand and he shook it enthusiastically. He took off with BB, and she sighed shouldering her weapons and walked up the steps towards the man who looked in charge. 

The man at the door had a pinched face and his mouth was drawn tight. His blonde hair was neatly arranged and his white tunic and dark trousers were immaculate. He looked her up and down and sighed. 

“Papers.” He held out his hand expectantly. She pulled the scroll out of her satchel and handed it to the pristinely groomed man. “Hmm, Rey Kanata of Manor Takodana. I didn’t even realize they were still nobles.” He looked down his nose at her and she did her best to keep her hands from clenching into fists. After it was clear she wasn’t going to react he continued, handing the scroll back to her.

“I am Lord Krennic, the director of this academy. A page will show you to your rooms and will show you the mess and the chambers. Dinner will be served at the fifth bell toll and after we will begin. Do not be late. Dismissed.” He waved her forward and she entered into her home for the next three years.

*

After the page had shown her around, Rey unpacked in her new quarters. She noticed there were two beds and secretly hoped there were an odd amount of squires so that she wouldn’t be as unlucky as to get found out the first day.

However, as fate would have it, luck was a fickle creature. The door creaked open and Rey turned and stood face to face with none other than Finn Storm. There was no way she could be so unlucky. She was about to bolt when he grinned and stuck out his hand.

“Hullo, my name’s Finn Storm of House Stormhold. I guess we’ll be bunking up together for the foreseeable future!” Reality hit her at once, of course he didn’t recognize her. She had been wearing a mask. She coughed to lower her voice and took his hand.

“I’m Rey Kanata of Takodana Manor.” She shook his hand and he gave her a warm smile, which she returned. He strode into the room and placed his rather large satchel on the bed, then retreating to the hall to heave in a large wooden chest that bore the Stormhold crest painted on top, the colors and lines still crisp.

“I can’t tell you how nervous I am. I’ve never been great at fighting. I’ve been practicing though. Which form is your favorite?” Finn babbled at her as he rummaged through his chest.

“The staff.” She replied quickly. That was an easy one for her. He looked up at her curiously.

“Woah, interesting, don’t think I’ve met anyone that prefers staff before. How’d you get into that?” Finn queried.

“Well, I guess I’m a little short and my reach isn’t quite as long as others. It allows me a greater reach to stay out of their arms length.” She replied, wringing her hands, not knowing what to do with them.

Finn looked at her, “Well, that makes sense. Did you make that staff yourself?” He pointed to the staff leaning against the wall between her bed and the window. She handed it to him to inspect.

“Yes, I carved it from a tree I felled myself.”

“Wicked.” He handed it back to her.

“What is your favorite? Form I mean.” she asked while sitting down on the bed facing Finn while he continued to unpack his satchel onto the little table on his side of the room and into the chest at the foot of the bed. 

“Well, like I said I’m not great at any of them really. My favorite is probably hand to hand combat though. My size and weight tends to make up for my lack of skill.” She took note of his broad shoulders and thick arms and legs. In the distance she heard the ringing of bells, which chimed five times.

“Looks like it’s time to eat!” Finn clapped Rey on the back and together they left for the mess hall. 

*

As the night wore on Rey felt more and more comfortable with Finn. Because he talked so much, she was able to stay at his side quietly and no one would talk to her except to ask for her name. It worked out perfectly. 

However, he did watch her with an amused grin as she tore into the meal, but when she brought it up he waved her question away. She was nervous he would recognize something about her. She wasn't sure yet how she should proceed. He seemed like a good person, someone she could maybe confide in. It would be nice to have at least one confidant and ally, especially one she shared a room with.

But what if that was all just a front? What if the moment he found out he ratted her out to Krennic? She would have to tread very carefully. 

The evening was fairly boring, Krennic introduced various teachers and droned on about expectations and schedules. They were to be put into groups of six each for classes and training. There were probably about 3 groups worth of squires in the new first year group, and apparently each year above them, years two and three, had about the same amount.

The castle also consisted of various serving staff and other administration personnel, not to mention all of the pages that worked at the castle during the day. The pages were generally boys from Coruscant who lived at home and came to the castle during the day. 

After what seemed like forever, they were dismissed for bed. She and Finn trudged up the stairs and she grabbed her tunic and headed to the chambers to relieve herself and change. 

When she returned Finn was already falling asleep. She leaned against the window sill and opened the glass slightly to let in some fresh air. She gazed out at the stars for a moment, thinking of Maz, of Chewie. They believed in her, this was her destiny. She could do it. She smiled to herself, got in bed and dreamed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come be my friend on [ twitter ](https://twitter.com/mae2d2) !

Finn and Rey stood outside in the sword arena waiting for Krennic to show up and announce their groups. Finn socialized while Rey hung behind him like a shadow. 

“So, Takodana huh, isn’t that place like, barely part of the Empire?” A snooty brown haired boy said in Rey’s ear as she had been introducing herself to another squire. “Should’ve guessed the smallest runt would be from such a pathetic manor house.”

Rey glared at him but didn’t give in to her anger. There was no use putting a target on her back. She turned back around to continue her conversation.

“Hey, I was talking to you.” The boy grabbed her arm and she quickly yanked it out of his grip and stepped out of his reach. He opened his mouth to yell at her again when a trumpet sounded to get their attention. The boy glared at her but stepped away to stand with the group he was with. She turned to watch Krennic stand atop the raised platform at the edge of the fighting ring that was meant for the herald. 

“I will announce your groups and your assigned master that will be in charge of your well being during your time as a squire. When I announce your names please find your master and your classes will begin. They will inform you of your schedule and duties.” He cleared his throat and started reading names off of a scroll in his hands.

Hers and Finns names were called in the second group to an older nam named Sir Ackbar. They trudged over to the man who had big eyes and floppy cheeks and who looked kind of like a fish. 

Four other boys joined their group and Sir Ackbar led them a little further away from the noise and bustle of the sword arena. They stopped under a giant yew tree that was close to the arena. 

“Good morning lads, my name is Sir Ackbar Lord of Mon Cala. My specialties include riding and military strategy. I would like you to each introduce yourselves, state your name and title if you please.” He motioned to the boy immediately to his right.

“My- my name is Dopheld Mitaka of Manor Corellia.” His face burned red and he looked like he wanted to hide. At least she wouldn't be the least talkative of the group. 

The next boy with unkempt dark hair spoke up. “My name's Snap! Well Temmin Wexley of House Akiva, but everyone just calls me Snap.” He grinned at the group. He had a cute pudgy face, and big body that would probably be extremely muscular once he hit manhood.

The next boy was tall and skinny with hair like straw. “Hullo, my name is Seff Hellin of House Mandalore.” He gave a small smile and gazed at the next boy in the circle.

“Thomas Thanisson of Manor Ord Mantell.” Another skinny boy, with a physique similar to Rey’s, with slicked pale blonde hair gave a stiff nod

“Finn Storm of house Stormhold.” Finn beamed brightly at everyone.

“Rey Kanata of Manor Takodana.” Rey grunted. Sir Ackbar looked to her at that.

“Takodana huh, you know Chewie then?” He asked. Best not to be too descriptive. 

“Yes, sir.” Hopefully that would be enough for now.

“Well, good good, Chewie’s a fine man. Now, on to our schedule and duties. In the mornings our group has training. Your year will rotate each day between different styles. After lunchtime is riding, and after riding are your studies indoors. Each group takes turns with the daily chores, and there are 3 groups per year so every 9 days our group is in charge of whatever chore needs to be done that day, as appointed by the head of the castle.” He looked around at the boys fidgeting nervously with their hands and shifting their feet and gave them all a soft smile. “You’ll get the hang of it within a few days.” He assured them. “Come, let's get started. Today we will start of with wooden staves, so I can access where you’re at physically.”

He led them over to a building near the arena and entered through the door. Inside there were racks and barrels full of assorted weapons, the majority of which had seen better days. Through a side door they could hear metal against metal in what appeared to be a blacksmith’s workshop. 

“We have our own forge here at the academy, and you will each get to learn to make your own sword.” He led them to a barrel full of staves and Rey smirked, knowing she had already made her own. Perhaps they would want her to make another? Either way, she felt a little ahead of the game which gave her a small boost of confidence. 

The boys headed outside once they had retrieved a stave each. Sir Ackbar had them run through a few sword forms that he led to warm up. After a little while they paired off to touch spar so he could wander and assess their skills. She and Finn paired together and started to spar. Finn was fairly uncoordinated so it was easy for Rey to get in a touch every few strikes.

Finn looked a little crestfallen so Rey tried to give him some words of encouragement. 

“Aw, can’t stand to be beaten but the runt? You must really be bad.” The dark haired kid from earlier was back and sneering at Finn leaning against the railing. Rey had had enough of this boy. 

“I’m better than I look.” She crossed her arms and glared at him.

“Sure you are. Fight me and let’s find out.” The boys around them that had been listening started to murmur in agreement. Rey looked around for Sir Ackbar but he was deep in conversation with a blushing Mitaka. 

“We’re only supposed to fight our partners.” Rey said angrily.

“I’m sure they can make an exception for you because you’re so much better than your partner.” He sneered. He looked over to his teacher who looked like he could care less. “Come on, fight me.”

“Fine,” Rey grit out. Finn grabbed her arm.

“Rey, you don’t have to do this, I’m fine, honest.”

“It’s alright Finn, he deserves it.” At that the boy laughed.

“I deserve it? I deserve to whip your puny butt!” The boy’s group mates around him taunted and jeered, and cried out things like “you got this Vonreg!”, “That kid has got nothing on Elrik.”

Rey crouched into a starting stance and out of nowhere the boy, Elrik, she supposed, flew at her. She ducked his blow quickly and spun around with a blow aimed at his lower back. He deflected it quickly and went again for a hard and fast hit. She danced out of the way again, testing another swing to his legs. 

They traded a few volleys before Elrik yelled. “Stop dancing around and hit me!” He was much stronger than her and his blows hurt her arms, but she wouldn’t show that he was tiring her out. She couldn't back down now. He may have had brute strength but Rey was quick. She feinted to the left and swung a quick uppercut to the right that hit his arm. First blood was hers.

He glared at her and spat. “Lucky shot, lets see if you can do it again.” They continued trading blows until each had hit each other at least three times. Elrik had gone for multiple kill shots but each time she spun or ducked out of reach, and used her momentum to whack him with her stave. He was becoming more and more frustrated and Rey was becoming more and more determined despite what she knew was the blooming of purple welts all across her body. 

Distantly she heard Sir Ackbar calling for it to stop, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Lord Krennic hold up a hand for him to stop. The majority of the squires had already stopped sparring and were watching the impromptu match. 

Now that they had an audience, Elrik seemed determined to beat her into the ground. His hits were landing harder and his breaths were heavier. She knew she wouldn’t be strong enough to knock him down, but perhaps she could incapacitate him in some other way.

She delivered a succession of quick blows, one after another that forced him to move quickly to block, tiring him out a little more. She tried to take bigger steps so he would have to follow her around more, hoping he would lose a little more of his balance. She had tried this a few times on Chewie and had been able to do it successfully.

In a still moment, Elrik wiped at his forehead with his sleeve, and it came away soaked with sweat. Her own brow was starting to perspire, drops trailing down her forehead and into her eyes. She rushed forward and launched a series of downward strikes in close quarters that he had to block with his arms down and hands at an awkward angle. She swung her stave underneath his, locked his hilt with hers and wrenched it from his grip, sending his stave flying through the air and clattering on the dirt a few strides away. 

She leveled her stave at his face and breathed heavily. “Yield.” Elrik’s look of shock quickly morphed into one of hatred as his chest rose and fell and his fists clenched. He turned away and stormed off towards the castle. Rey glanced at Krennic and Ackbar who eyed her with interest and she walked over to Finn who clapped her on the back. She may have a target on her back now, but at least they’d know that she won’t be walked over.

* 

Apparently gossip travels fast at the academy and pretty soon random squires, pages, and staff would clap her on the shoulder in congratulations while passing her in the hallway, or in line for dinner. Either that or they would glare at her pointedly from afar, or stare at her and whisper to each other from across the room. She didn’t like any of these responses. What happened to just blending in? Oh yeah, she let her pride get in the way.

Luckily no one else seemed to want to really bother her and her first week went fairly smoothly. She was just average enough in training to not stand out by either being too skilled or too terrible. She had gotten lucky in the fact that Elrik was an average fighter at best, so he had not been too difficult to beat. Seff, however, she couldn’t land a single hit. It was infuriating, but he was a gracious partner and she learned a lot from his style.

The afternoon studies were slightly more difficult. Her fellow squires had had years of education and lessons, and it definitely showed. Luckily, her backstory was a sufficient cover for her lack of knowledge, but it was still embarrassing whenever they had to answer questions in class and she was the only one who didn’t know that one of the squires duties was to ensure his knight had a proper burial. She was sure the family would have seen to that, but everyone just looked at her like she had grown a second head. It wasn’t that strange of an answer...

She was also woefully behind in all matters of history, business, politics, arithmetic, and pretty much everything else. It was very disheartening. 

One evening Rey found herself in her room reading over a dense section of history that she needed to have memorized for tomorrow. Lord Ackbar had been woefully disappointed with her lack of knowledge of the formation of the Empire, and assigned her extra reading. She was moving through it slowly while glancing out the window every so often to watch her fellow squires run around outside playing games.

She sighed and sat back down on the bed and tried to read the same line she had already tried to read three times before, when the door flew open and Finn came striding into the room holding a bloody rag to his cheek. Rey jumped up to take a look.

“Finn are you alright? What happened?” Rey almost screeched.

“I’m alright, I’m alright. I was just sparring with Mitaka and his stave must have been a little too whittled down on the end and it sliced me real good. He was probably crying more than I was though. Poor kid, he’s shyer than a turtle.” Finn chuckled at his own joke which brought a smile to Rey’s face. She really liked Finn.

“Well that’s good. We’ll get Mitaka to open up one of these days.” Rey remarked sitting back down and pulling the thick dusty tome back into her lap as Finn used the bowl in the corner to wash out his wound and replace the dirty rag with a fresh one.

“What’s that for?” Finn looked at the book, walking over to sit on his bed. Rey showed him the cover which had a painted flag of the Empire. 

“Ackbar wants me to catch up on my own on account of not having the same amount of education as you and the others.” Rey shrugged and opened the book. “That’s if I can ever get through this without falling asleep.” Rey dramatically flopped back onto her bed and sighed which made Finn laugh.

“I can help if you like. I love history and I might feel useful for once!” Finn looked at her excitedly.

“Are you sure? It’s so tedious, I couldn’t ask you to give up your free time.” 

“No really I would love to! It’s my favorite subject. What are you reading right now?” Finn got up and sat next to her and pulled the book into his lap.

“Uh, something about, um... the Empire?” Rey tried just as they heard a whoop from outside. Finn looked at the window and then back to Rey. He closed the book and put it on her bedside tale.

“Well what do you know about the Empire?” Finn asked.

“Uh... I know some of the king's names... there was a war, I think...” Rey tried again. Finn looked at her.

“Why don’t I give you a brief summary for tonight, and then tomorrow we can work on the finer details.” 

Rey threw her arms around Finn, “Thank you Finn, I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Actually have to talk to people, that’s what. Now, let’s get started. I’ll start off simply. For a long time there were two kingdoms that were fairly peaceful towards one another, the Kingdom of Coruscant and the Kingdom of Alderaan. Then over fifty years ago King Palpatine took over the council of the king by secretly placing his own people so that he could do whatever he wanted. Although that’s more part of the secret history so don’t repeat that.” He gave her a look and she nodded her head.

“He used that power to declare war on Alderaan claiming that they were hostile and looking to overthrow Coruscant. He created such a frenzy that he was able to get enough momentum to raze Alderaan city to the ground. He then quickly sent knights all over the land bringing all cities and towns into the fold of the Empire for protection and unity.” 

“Wow. I don’t really know how to feel about that.” Rey admitted.

“It is kind of hard to swallow. My family has been Empire supporters for years, but my last tutor taught me some things that I’m sure my family wouldn’t have wanted me to know and now I feel like I’m a secret rebel now.” He looked up at her, realizing what he said and quickly burst out, “but please don’t tell anyone, I could be killed for that.” She patted him on the shoulder.

“I won’t tell anyone Finn, thank you for trusting me.” Rey told him, squeezing his shoulder. She realized right then what she needed to do. “Finn, if you’re going to tell me secrets, then I need to tell you one of mine. But please don’t think me mad.”

Finn looked at her quizzically. Rey took a deep breath and blew the air from her mouth.

“Finn, um, I don’t know how to say this... uh... we’ve met before.” Fine looked doubly confused then.

“When have we met?” 

Rey scratched her head and took another deep breath. “Before I tell you, you can’t yell, leave this room or do anything until you let me explain. Promise?” She held out her hand for him to shake. He eyed her hand, but he seemed to make up his mind and took it and shook.

“I met you at the last Midsummer’s festival in Hosnian Prime. At the masquerade... you... asked me to... dance.” She bit her lip and looked at him with doe eyes hoping to find understanding in his face. He just looked supremely confused.

“I did? Why would I have asked you to dance? I don’t remember this!” Finn said exasperatedly.

“That’s because I wasn’t who I am now. I was Kira. Finn- I’m a girl.” Finn looked like he’d been struck dumb. His eyes were wide as saucers and his jaw was practically on the floor and he kept trying to open and close it like a fish. Rey rushed to explain.

“Let me finish and then you can ask questions. I was abandoned on Jakku as a kid and was forced to scavenge for a living. Being a girl was dangerous so I chose to become a boy so I could run away and find work and make my way to somewhere new. That’s when I met Maz and Chewie. They took me in and offered me a new life. We were planning on making the transition for me to be a girl again at the Midsummer festival, but after watching the tournaments I knew that I wanted to become a knight and I could only do that by being a boy. So, here I am.”

She looked up at him and found sympathy in his eyes, and it almost broke her heart. Finn was one of the most pure people she had ever met. He took her hands in his.

“Wow, Rey. Or Kira, whatever. That is amazing, you are amazing.” Rey couldn’t believe she had such a great friend already, she threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tight.

“Thank you Finn, thank you for understanding.” She let go to look at him. “And my real name is Rey by the way. Kira was just a made up name because the people of Takodana had already known me as Rey.”

Finn dropped his shoulders and let out a breathy “huh” while he shook his head slightly. “Wow I cant believe how convincing you are. I had no inkling at all.” Rey laughed giddily.

“Well that’s a relief, sometimes I feel like everyone knows and they’re just waiting to kick me out.” She admitted.

“No, not at all. No one suspects a thing.”

“You have no idea how relieving it is to tell you. I think you’re the greatest friend I’ve ever had.” She smiled up at him.

“And you’re mine.” He smiled at her and hugged her again. “But we’ll have to be careful about hugging outside the room. Don’t want to give people the wrong idea.” They both laughed and then Finn suddenly ducked his head and asked conspiratorially, “So, what are girls like?

Rey broke out into raucous laughter. “I am literally the worst person to ask that question.” She laughed so hard she had to wipe tears from her eyes.

Finn looked at her sheepishly. “I guess you’re right. It’s just that I’m an only child and I haven’t talked to too many girls before. I’m just curious.”

“Well, I’ll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability.”

Finn smiled at her and they spent the evening talking about boys and girls and the ridiculousness of it all.


	6. Chapter 6

With Finn’s nightly tutoring sessions helping her grasp concepts more quickly, the next few weeks flew by. She no longer felt quite so out of place in class, and she was quickly improving during training. 

Just last week they had finally been taught how to hold a lance and they practiced jousting against stacked hay bales. Lord Ackbar said that by Midwinter they should be able to participate in the festival jousts in the city. She couldn’t wait to practice against other riders. She was confident she could at least beat Finn and Mitaka. She wasn’t sure about the others though, but she was excited to find out.

Elrik Vonreg tended to leave her alone except for the occasional glare or snide comment here and there. She paid no attention to him. The rest of the squires soon got over their beginning duel and as other drama escalated to fuel the gossip, she blended into the shadows once again. 

Their group became fast friends, often eating together in the dining hall and playing games together after dinner. 

She had written to Maz and Chewie that all was well, but that squires aren’t allowed to leave for the three years during the academy, so if they wished to visit they would need to come to Coruscant. She told them not to worry if they couldn’t, she knew money was scarce and it would be hard for Maz to be on the road for that long.

They replied a few weeks later saying that they could perhaps visit for the next Midwinter celebration during her second year when a few friends would also be visiting.

She and Finn had all kinds of discussions late at night when they lied in bed before falling asleep. She told him about her life scavenging and on the run, and he told her about being cooped up in castle Stormhold, not allowed to go anywhere except with strict chaperones or tutors. He had never felt so free than being at the academy. 

One day out by the sword arena, she and Finn were sitting under the yew tree, studying. Rey was idly picking at grass while Finn was testing her on the different towns and what cities they belonged to and their geographical location. Finn droned on about Corellia’s steel mills and Rey’s eyes wandered over to the sparring arena. The third years were doing hand to hand combat today, and a few had elected to remove their tunics. She had seen boys shirtless before, but there was a certain third year who she had noticed in passing that she was especially fond of looking at, although he still had his tunic on, much to Rey’s dismay.

She didn’t really know what was considered handsome. She had never had strong physical feelings towards anyone before. The only time someone’s looks had really stricken her was Sir Ren. His flowing raven hair that contrasted his pale face was indeed attractive. Although he had been too far away to really know. And it may have been his skill that had really been attractive to Rey.

She pushed the thoughts of the black clad knight out of her mind. He was a broody one anyway, so she looked back to the sparring match, watching the third year work his opponent around the ring. He must have been getting hot because pretty soon he grabbed the hem of his tunic and pulled it over his head, revealing a nice set of toned arms and abdominals. They were boyish, but still cut and angular. Rey gave an indignant squawk and quickly covered her hand with her mouth and pretended to cough.

Finn looked up at her curiously, saw her flush, and looked around before his eyes landed on the third year squire. He smirked at her and Rey ducked her head and started to pick apart some orange leaves that were pilling on the ground due to the cold weather. 

“Rey, you’ve been... like... this,” he gestured to her body, “for a long time... have you ever— liked a boy before?” He asked, his face turning red.

She looked at him with wide eyes and whisper yelled, “Well of course not! I’ve never really had the time or energy to think about that... it was hard enough just trying to survive. And I was only a girl for about one day anyway.” Rey shrugged her shoulders.

“I guess that’s true. Well what about in that one day? Meet anyone you liked at the masque?” He asked curiously. “Besides myself I mean.” He grinned at her goofily and she shoved his shoulder so he toppled over into the grass. 

“You’re ridiculous. Did you?” She replied, going back to tearing at the leaves.

“Rey, you’re deflecting.”

“Nuh uh.”

“You do it all the time.”

“No I don’t”

“Rey, I’m your best friend and every time you do it I know you have something you don’t want to tell me. So spit it out.”

“Ugh, fine, one man talked to me for ages, he wouldn’t leave me alone. He had seen me cheering at the joust and talking swordplay with Chewie at one of the matches and was determined to find out who I was and why I knew so much. It was infuriating.” She ranted and Finn gave her a suspicious and knowing look.

“Infuriating or infatuating?” He gave her a sly grin. She slapped him on the arm.

“Finn!” 

Finn threw his head back and laughed, “The fact that you still remember him means he made an impression. Do you know who he was?”

“No idea, he kept asking me to dance and to take my mask off because he wanted to see me. I kept walking away because I didn’t want to blow my cover in case I wanted to come here.”

“Wow, that’s crazy. What did he look like?”

Rey imagined him, tall and well built, his arms and legs thick and strong, shiny black hair poking out under his black hood. His clothes were beautifully tailored and almost gleamed in the moonlight. His voice was deep and resonating. No- nope, she did not like him. At all.

“Massive, black hair, couldn’t see past the mask and hood.” She grunted. 

“Huh, that could be anyone. Well, maybe one day we’ll find your mystery man.” He winked at her.

“Yeah, and after we tell him I’ve pretended to be a boy and that I’m a squire he’ll be extremely keen on marrying me right away.”

“Oh come on Rey, and man would love to marry you!”

She snorted, “Yeah, right. Enough embarrassing me. What about you? Any girls catch your eye?” 

“Well...” Finn blushed hard and Rey pushed him to get on with it. “All right, all right. I— I’m not sure I like girls...” He trailed off and looked at her with a worried expression.

“That’s fine. Any guys catch your eye then?” Rey continued, confused as to why he was so concerned. 

“Well, maybe a few...” He told her about a few squires that he found attractive, and together they made a small list of who had the nicest hair, or the prettiest eyes. She lost track of time during their fun little game when the bell tolled five times out in the distance, reverberating through the air.

“Come on matchmaker, let's get you some food so you stop bothering me about my non-existent and never to be existent love life.” She stood and offered her hand which he grasped and she pulled him up.

“We’ll find someone for you Rey, just you wait and see.” He smiled at her and together they walked to dinner.

*

The morning of the Midwinter festival dawned bright and cold. A few inches of snow had dusted the ground a few day cycles earlier which meant that Rey would have to bundle up tightly under her armor. 

Today she would be participating in a sword fight and in hand to hand combat. The festival would last three days. On the second day she would joust, and on the third she was fighting with a staff. She was most excited about that one because she might actually win. She’d never had any of her own credits before and if she won she would receive some for her participation. 

Finn was still snoring away, and she pulled on her thick wool slippers to protect her feet while she headed to the chamber pot. She padded down the silent hall and entered the room, pulling the creaky wooden door behind her, latching it with the iron pulley. She pulled down her sleeping trousers to discover red staining the crotch. She groaned.

“Not today, no, why did it have to be now.... erggghh.” She whispered to herself, throwing her head back in frustration. She washed off her thighs and scrubbed her trousers with the water in the basin. Just her luck to start her monthly bleeding during the festival. 

She usually was quite lucky in regards to her bleeding. Probably due to her malnutrition as a child, her bleeding periods were few and far between and fairly light, but still bothersome. Sometimes her stomach felt like it was caving in on itself and she’d have to lie down to avoid throwing up.

So far she felt okay, and hoped that this time, it wouldn't be painful. She finished washing up, and waddled back to the room trying not to get her legs and crotch too wet with her freshly washed sleeping pants.

Upon arriving back to the room she discarded the wet pants to hang dry on her chair, shook Finn awake and started to dress for the day. She wrapped her arms for added warmth and padding and lowered a tan tunic over her head. She put on a green belt and cinched it over her tunic. She fished some rags out of a little box under her bed and placed them in her undergarments. 

“Oh no, don’t tell me you started today.” Finn asked, rubbing his eyes and looking at the box she had pulled out.

“Yup, just my luck huh.” She said pulling up her black trousers and cinching them tight. Being roommates, it was inevitable that they would see each other naked so they got over the fear of dressing in front of each other quickly. 

“Ah I’m sorry Rey. Hopefully it won’t hurt this time. Let me know if there’s anything I can get for you.” He sat up and started stripping off his sleeping clothes. A few weeks ago during her bleeding she had been craving sweet tarts so badly that Finn went and found some for her. She cried like a baby and hugged him telling him that he was the sweetest person she had ever met. He still wouldn’t let her live it down.

“Thanks Finn. I’ll just fight through it. I have to win at least one thing this festival.” She pulled her boots over her stockings and started to lace them up.

“Rey, first years never win anything, so don’t be disappointed. It’s good enough that we’re getting practice with more experienced fighters.” He said as he started to pull on his scarlet tunic.

“Yeah, yeah I know. But still. I’m going to try.” 

Finn hummed. “You figure out what you’re going to wear tonight yet?” Oh right, there was a ball tonight. She hit her hand against her forehead.

“Ugh no. Do I have to go?”

“Yes, you have to! We’re all going, and it’ll be more fun with you there” Rey grunted in dismay and Finn ignored her. “Just wear your academy uniform. It’s the nicest one you have and you’ll blend in better that way. Then hopefully no unsuspecting maiden will get the misfortune of dancing with you.”

Rey whacked him in the arm. He yelped, “Hey! It’s true! You’re a terrible dancer!”

She whacked him again. “I know but you don’t need to remind me!” He was about to protest when he saw her break into a smile and then they were bent over laughing, wiping tears from their eyes. 

“Enough of this, let's get to the fighting rings!” Rey jumped up excitedly, grabbed her sword and rushed to the door.

Finn followed glumly behind. “Yay, let’s fight.” He said sarcastically and Rey laughed all the way down to the dining hall.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry my chapter lengths are all over the place. I’m new to this and still figuring it out.

Sweat dripped down Rey’s brow and she paused to catch her breath, hands on her knees. A second year squire who she had just met, Lux Bonteri, was giving her a thorough beating around the ring. She had landed a few hits in herself but the borrowed armor she was given was getting in the way. 

She ducked a particularly vicious side swing and stepped back to give herself some space. Finn was yelling at her incoherently from the sideline, and she could barely see through her helmet. She really needed to forge her own armor, she probably wouldn’t grow that much more. 

He attacked again and succeeded in hitting her right flank thanks to a left side feint that she fell for. She heard Lord Ackbar yell something about an underhand strike but her brain felt cloudy. Her pelvis was starting to ache and the noise was getting to her. There weren’t too many spectators, but Snap and Seff were leading a particularly loud cheer and she couldn’t quite focus.

She swung a wide arc at him to get him to back away so she could have a second to think, but he was too quick and rushed her before she could react. He swung at her chest and she went to block it but the hit was so strong it knocked the blade from her hand.

The crowd cheered and the herald pronounced Bonteri as the winner. He held out his hand to her.

“Nice fighting, I didn't expect much from you but you put up a good fight.” He said to her with a small smile.

“Thanks.” She grumbled and shook his hand before turning to pick up her sword. She sheathed it and angrily tore off her helmet, walking over to her friends. Finn clapped her on the shoulder with a faint smile. 

Lord Ackbar spoke, “Not bad for a first fight. It’s quite difficult getting used to the armor.”

Rey huffed, “And the screaming.” Ackbar just chuckled.

“Yes, that too. It surprises everyone at first. You’ll get used to it. We’ll practice more with armor in the coming days.”

The other squires helped to take off the heavy breastplates and then they all turned to place it on Thanisson who was next up for the sword. They were all a fairly similar build so they brought just two pairs of armor to switch off. One bigger size for Finn, Seff and Snap, and one smaller size for Rey, Mitaka and Thanisson. 

They moved together from event to event, cheering each other on and retrieving water and food when necessary. Lord Ackbar would give them tips, and take them to Knight rings to show them examples of where they went wrong or what they could do to improve.

Rey hadn’t had this much fun since the last Festival she went to. Ackbar even let them indulge in some fried dough that was being sold at one of the stalls they passed by.

Rey’s next event was hand to hand combat. She hoped this time she’d have a better shot because she wouldn’t have to wear armor, until she saw her opponent. It was one of Elrik Vonreg’s buddies, one of the larger ones. She thinks she remembers his name to be Alexsandr Kallus. 

He was thick around the middle and had to be about one head taller than Rey, and she was tall for a girl her age. He had red hair and was starting to grow some red stubble on his cheeks and chin. He was quite ugly. Especially when he sneered at her from across the ring.

“Really Lord Ackbar, he’s huge!” She complained, turning around and almost stomping like a child.

“I believe in you Rey. It’s good practice to fight someone of different strengths. You’ve fought Snap and he’s not much bigger than him.” He observed, standing straight with his hands behind his back.

“Yeah I guess so.” He did have a point. She had never been able to beat Snap but she was able to hold her own for at least a little while.

She removed her cape and belt and tightened her arm straps. It was a little chilly without her lined coat but she would be warm soon enough. The snow had been cleared out of the ring to form banks against the wooden fence and hay had been put down to help the fighters avoid getting too muddy. It didn’t help that much. 

When the herald lowered the flag Kallus barreled towards her with his arms outstretched looking like he wanted to catch her in his meaty arms. She ducked and spun, sticking her foot out to trip him. He caught himself quickly and swung his arm to hit her in the side as she was spinning away. 

An oof of air escaped her and she crouched low to await the next attack. He tried for a face punch and she swatted his hand away with her forearm. He tried a succession of uppercuts that she was able to deflect with her wrists, but bruised them in the process. 

She tried to dance around him as best as she could, but his reach was long and he was able to get in enough hits that her body was starting to ache. She got in at least one punch to his eye, which was already starting to blossom purple and green.

That made her happy until someone yelled something about ‘no maiden wanting to dance with him now with that eye’ and that was game over. He clobbered her in the stomach right where she was already in pain and she doubled over onto her knees. The herald jumped in quickly to announce the winner before Kallus could get in any more hits.

Finn came over to help her up and brought her over to the group. Seff handed her a mug of ale which she drank from greedily and Snap spoke up trying to diffuse the tension in the air.

“Maker, who knew Kallus was so big into dancing.” At that the group burst into laughter and they joked about following him around the ball seeing if any girl would dance with him with that eye. Maybe the dance wouldn’t be so much of a drag after all.

*

Rey was wrong. She expected to be able to hang out with her friends and laugh about the ridiculous dresses, but the minute they arrived at the Grand Manor of Coruscant the boys scattered in all directions, chasing after girls to find someone to ask to dance. Rey and Finn wandered around the hall looking for the food. 

This ball was immensely more crowded and pompous than the one she had gone to in Hosnian Prime. Finn told her that Coruscant housed many balls each night during the Winter, Spring and Summer festivals due to the amount of people living in Coruscant and the influx of visitors. In Hosnian Prime all the nobles had fit in one hall but in Coruscant it was required that there be multiple balls for different ages and levels of nobility.

They had been invited to the young courtier and courtesan ball which included unmarried knights and ladies in their twenties and teenaged squires, ladies, and anyone of noble birth who was young basically. 

Rey had no idea just how many nobles there actually were until she arrived. There were hundreds of people all around her age and in that moment she had never felt so small and insignificant. Instead of dwelling on her existential crisis, she ventured in search of the food to banish those consuming thoughts, finding a side room filled with tables laden with all kinds of winter delicacies.

She and Finn loaded some plates and meandered back to the ballroom, circling around until they found some wooden chairs against one wall to sit and consume their weight in mince pies.

After a few songs transpired Finn spoke up. “We really should dance at least a little bit. My gran will kill me if I don’t report back who I met while here. I have to provide her with at the minimum, five names.” He made a face and Rey winced in sympathy.

“You’re welcome to dance but I’m not willing to make a fool of myself.” She shrugged and stuffed another pie into her mouth.

“Well, wish me luck.” He clapped his hands together to dust off the crumbs and walked into the crowd. Rey watched him until he disappeared into the throng and then amused herself with watching the couples dance. She heard footsteps behind her and she glanced back to see none other than Sir Ren, or who she assumed was Sir Ren. He wore all black but his hair was what gave him away. It was the same shiny dark mass of wavy shoulder length hair . It was even shinier up close, she wondered if it was soft. 

He scowled at his surroundings as he prowled along the wall, hands clasped behind his back, eyes sweeping from chair to chair. Perhaps he wanted to sit but they were all occupied. Too bad for him. She watched him as he moved along the wall circling the room quietly until he was stopped and reluctantly pulled into the center of the room by another man with ridiculously bright red hair.

His scowl somehow became even deeper as he was pulled into a circle that consisted of mostly ladies wearing dresses that resembled giant pink clouds with so many ribbons in their hair Rey could combine them all and use them to repel into some old ruins. 

One of the girls “accidentally” tripped into him and he pushed her off of him ungracefully. She looked a little put out and stomped away. Rey had to suppress a giggle. Apparently broody and not one for conversation. 

She continued to watch, amused as another frilly monster attempted to capture his attention by placing her hand on his chest while she laughed at something he had said. He actually grabbed her hand, shoved it down and stepped away, and continued conversing with the red haired man. Rey couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Maker, this man was a piece of work. After a few moments he eyed a group of girls that were slowly making their way over to him and giggling. Before they could catch him he ducked behind a group of passing squires and disappeared into the crowd. Rey then saw the top of his head as he darted towards the front doors and left. 

She couldn’t control her laughter at the sheer ridiculous nature of the situation.

“What on earth could possibly be so funny?” Finn had just come up to her.

“You know that Knight, Sir Ren, the moody one?” Rey asked him.

“Yes, I’ve heard he has a nasty temper.” Finn informed her, frowning.

“Well I just watched him get mauled by a bunch of girls and he looked more frightened by them then he did when Sir Dameron was galloping toward him with a lance. He even shoved a girl off of him! The gall!” She screeched with laughter. Finn shook his head.

“Poor bloke, he’s one of the most eligible bachelors in the empire and no one can figure out what he likes. He must have girls throwing themselves at him everywhere he goes.”

“What do you mean what he likes?” Rey asked.

“Well, he’s fairly powerful enough that he doesn’t have to be forced into a marriage of convenience. And by the fact that he’s not yet married I’m assuming he hasn’t met anyone that suits his fancy. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to be tied down. Knights are notorious for their conquests.”

“Hmm, interesting. I feel bad for his future bride. Hopefully he doesn’t scowl at her at the altar.” Rey quipped. At that Finn laughed and started to tell her about the girl he danced with named Tallie. She was sweet and liked talking about horses.

They chatted for a little while when two girls came up to them. The taller one with dark hair spoke first. “Hello, my name is Jessika and this is Rose. Would you like to dance?” She looked at Finn.

“Sure!” He offered his elbow and then walked away with the girl on his arm. Rey was hoping that Rose would just walk away or stand next to her and talk but no such luck.

“Would you dance with me?” She asked Rey boldly, sticking out her hand.

Rey stared at her hand and sputtered nervously, “I, um don’t know how to dance, sorry.” She spoke with a note of finality which apparently did nothing to dissuade Rose. 

“Oh don’t worry, I’m very good, come on.” And with more strength than Rey thought she possessed the small girl tugged at Rey’s elbow and dragged her to the dance floor.

She was talking but all that was going through Rey’s head was ‘no no no nononononono nooooooo’.

“—so anyway I told her to go for it and that I wouldn’t mind getting you away from him so he would focus on her. I hope you don’t mind.” She grinned up at her.

“Um, yeah, no problem.” Rey coughed out.

“I’m Rose Tico by the way, from House Hays Minor.”

“Rey Kanata of Manor Takodana.” 

Rose stopped abruptly at a spot she must have deemed adequate. “Here, put your hand on my waist,” she grabbed her hand and placed it at her waist, “and hold my other hand.” Rey did as she was told and they stood there awkwardly. “Now move your left foot forward and I’ll go backwards and then we’ll go to the side.”

She explained a few more steps and after a few more stumbles Rey started to get the hang of it, and she grinned. Rose looked pleased and said “See? Not so bad. So, are you a squire then?” She looked at her Red Tunic emblazoned with the crest of arms of the empire.

“Oh, yes. First year.” She nodded down at her.

“That’s wonderful! My sister Paige wished she could train to be a knight. I always wanted to go to the Royal University of Coruscant.” Rose sighed wistfully.

Rey was appalled, “You do? That’s amazing!” Rose looked at her like she was crazy.

“You think that’s amazing that I want to go to university?” Rose asked incredulously.

“Well, yeah, why wouldn’t I? Education is great.” Well, when it was paired with riding horses and sword play.

“Well, I guess every boy I’ve ever told that to has laughed at me. You’re the only one who has taken me seriously. Is there something wrong with you?” She asked jokingly tilting her head comically which made Rey laugh.

“No not at all. I just think girls are stronger and smarter than they think.” Rey said confidently with a slight shrug which raised Rose’s hand on her shoulder slightly. Rose beamed at her.

“You might just be my favorite squire. Too bad you’re too young to marry.” Rose laughed.

“What do you mean? You don’t even know me!” Rey exclaimed, not sure whether to be outraged or not.

Rose just laughed, “I know enough that you wouldn’t be a terrible husband which is more common than not these days. But alas, you're a first year which makes you, what, fourteen?” 

Rey cried indignantly “I just turned fifteen!”

“Well, I’m way past seventeen and I’ll be expected to marry any time now, probably to a lower noble merchant or something. My pedigree isn't that great.” She looked at Rey sadly. “I just hope I marry someone with a great big library. And a workshop I’m allowed to tinker in.” She looked into the distance wistfully. 

“What do you tinker with?” Rey asked curiously.

“I like mechanical things. I like figuring out how contraptions work, and sometimes I invent little toys for my niece.” She grinned at Rey happily.

“I could introduce you to some of my friends from the academy. Maybe we can find an older one who likes smart girls.” Rey smiled at her and Rose smiled back.

“Thank you Rey, will I see you at any more events this festival?” Right then the song ended and Rey offered her elbow to escort Rose off the dance floor, like she had seen other boys do.

“I’ll be jousting tomorrow in the morning. It’s my first time so it probably won’t go very well.” Rey cringed.

“Well in that case Sir Kanata,” Rose curtsied with a dramatic flourish and whipped a scrap of cloth from her sleeve. “Please accept my humble handkerchief to wear as your token.” She cooed lowly. Rey laughed and bowed the deepest, most dramatic bow she could and lowered her voice a few octaves.

“Why Lady Rose, nothing would give me greater pleasure.” She grabbed the handkerchief and with a flourish tucked it into her tunic’s pocket. They laughed together for a few moments when Jess and Finn found them again.

Jess lamented that the hour was late and that she needed to get Rose home. With a promise to see her joust tomorrow, Rose and Jess left. Finn eyed her curiously. “You two looked cozy.”

Rey shrugged, “She made it clear she only asked me so that Jess could ask you and that I’m too young. So, we just talked and actually got along pretty well. She told me that her sister wished she could have become a knight. And she dreams of going to the Royal University.”

“Wow, fancy that. She'd probably lose her mind if she knew who you really were.” Finn said and Rey perked up.

“Should I tell her? She was so nice! It would be so great to have another confidant.” Rey sighed. Finn looked interested.

“Hmm, potentially. Although, I do fulfill the role very well.” He grinned at her slyly, puffing out his chest. She pushed his shoulder.

“You’re fantastic Finn.” She beamed at him, “I think you’d like her. We’ll get a chance to talk more tomorrow.”

“I look forward to it.” He beamed.


	8. Chapter 8

Rey made sure Rose’s handkerchief was tied tight to her lance before she exited the tent. She wanted to make sure Rose could see it from the stands if she had indeed come to watch her. Maybe if she kept seeing Rose around she could eventually confide in her as well. If anyone were to accept her it would be Rose.

Maybe she could tell her tonight at that evening’s ball. But in the meantime she needed to focus. Her stomach felt like a swarm of angry bees had taken residence there and were determined to escape.

She felt like she was going to throw up. She wasn’t sure if it was from nerves or from her bleeding. Either way it was not good. She exited the tent to cheering crowds. The stands weren’t completely full as her round was the first that morning, but at least some people enjoyed watching first years knock each other senseless with bad jousting form. 

Finn made the last checks to her armor and helped her straddle up onto BB. He handed her the lance and she quickly scanned the crowd looking for Rose. She saw a small hand waving from up high in the noble’s stands and assumed that must be her. She raised her lance in that direction and shut her visor, the clank reverberating around inside her helmet.

She took a deep breath and waited for the Herald to announce her and her opponent, another first year name Boba Fett. She saw him lower his rounded helmet and raise his lance. She raised hers in response. The crowd was muffled under her helmet and blood was pumping through her ears so loudly it was almost silent. She kept her eyes trained on the flag not wanting to miss it.

It dropped and she kicked BB into a gallop. She lowered her lance too hard and it swung wildly missing Boba completely, but to her credit he had done the same thing. Neither of them were able to hit each other, using all of their strength trying to steady their lances as they rode past each other.

This must happen often because the crowd cheered and laughed. She returned to her starting position and grasped the lance tighter between her elbow and rib cage, hoping she could steady it that way. 

The flag dropped before she was ready but she took off anyway, the lance steadier this time, but her aim was off. Boba was just barely able to hit her, the tip glancing off of her right shoulder. It hurt like the time she fell down a wall onto her shoulder, hitting the ground so hard she dislocated it. 

She cursed under her breath and rolled it a few times to get some feeling back into it. She clenched her teeth and positioned herself at the starting line. One hit, she just needed one hit. The flag dropped and she shot forward lance tight against her, her aim better this time. She clenched her whole body willing her lance not to move and it rammed right into Boba’s elbow.

He howled and dropped his lance. Rey turned around and raced BB back, elated beyond belief. She handed her lance to Finn and looked into the stands. Rose was jumping up and down and Rey waved to her from horseback before swinging down and was enveloped in a group hug by her friends. 

They congratulated her on a job well done and Rey couldn’t believe it. She had just jousted for the first time in her life, and she had even tied. She didn't stop smiling the entire day. 

*

Rose found her sometime after the joust and gave her a big hug. Her friends snickered and moved away so that she could talk to her privately. Rose looked at them with an exasperated look.

“Teenage boys are so dumb, they can’t get past their heads that boys and girls can just be friends.” Rose stated.

“That’s because boys can’t just be friends. They always want something more.” Rey replied wisely. She had heard enough talk from her classmates to know that most guys had no interest in being friends. Rose looked up at her shocked.

“So what does that make me?” She asked, shocked.

“Well, I don't really count.” Rey quipped back, not really thinking.

“Why not?” She asked.

“Oh um, well, I just don’t.” Rey replied awkwardly, shuffling her feet and avoiding eye contact.

“What’s that supposed to mean Rey?” Rose pressed, stepping into her space. 

Rey gulped and weighed the pros and cons. She had already wanted to do this, and it was a fairly good opportunity. She grabbed Rose’s elbow and led her behind some stacked crates Rose squawking in confusion. She whirled her around and faced her, close enough that she could whisper.

“Rose, I’m going to tell you something, that I’m only telling you because I really think you’ll understand and I really like you.” Rey said.

Rose looked at her skeptically, “Please don’t tell me this goes beyond friendship, we really had a good thing going.” Well, she was blunt. Rey pushed on.

“Quite the opposite actually, Rose... I’m a girl.” Rey waited while Rose looked confused for a second before her jaw dropped. 

“Wha-what are you serious? Why are you telling me this?” Rose was bewildered.

“Because after what you told me last night, I want you to know that it is possible. I have to fake it but I will be a knight and if I can do it maybe one day you could go to university.” Rose looked dumbstruck. Then out of nowhere she threw her arms around Rey and hugged her so tightly that Rey thought she would strangle her to death.

“I can’t believe it! You did it! I wish I had had the guts to do what you did! Wow you have to tell me all about it!” She jumped up and down excitedly and Rey put her hands on her shoulders to stop her, shushing her and looking around to make sure no one had been around to hear. She turned back to Rose.

“You have to keep this quiet. You’re one of four people who know. My guardians and Finn. Please please keep it secret.” Rey pleaded.

“Of course Rey! I wouldn’t dream of it! I’m going to come to all of your events now! I can’t wait until you can become a knight!” Rose was having a hard time keeping her bouncing to a minimum. 

Rey grinned at her enthusiasm. “Well with more of your humble handkerchiefs I bet I might just be able to.” She bowed dramatically again and flourished the cloth and then tucked it back into her pocket. 

They spent the rest of the day walking around the festival arm and arm. None of her friends bothered her, thinking it was a date, and Lord Ackbar said that the next two days they could spend how they liked. 

She and Rose swapped life stories. Rose was insanely curious about all the ways Rey had lived her life. 

“So you were only a girl for a few years as a kid and then one day as a teenager?” She asked, flummoxed. 

“Well yeah I guess so. Seems weird when you say it like that. I’m more used to being a boy than I am being a girl.” Rey said sincerely. “You should have seen me the one time I wore a dress. I must have tripped a million times that day.”

“You’ve only worn a dress once?” Rose really just couldn’t handle any of this information well, Rey thought, chuckling to herself.

“Yup, even attended a masque too. I had to turn down everyone because I had no idea how to dance, like you saw yesterday.”

“So, you’ve never danced with a boy before?” Rose asked calmly, a little too calmly, and Rey looked sideways at her wondering what she was thinking, of course she hadn’t.

“Well obviously not.”

“Would you want to?” Rose inquired. 

“No! Who cares? I don’t think about guys like that really.” Rose blew a raspberry at her.

“That is such a lie Rey. All girls think of boys that way. Well, most girls. It’s just human nature.” Rose elbowed her in the side.

“Well not me. And why would you care? What about studying?” Rey asked her.

“I can appreciate knowledge and like boys thank you very much. Wanting love and affection makes me no less strong.” Rose said with her head held high and shoulders back.

“Oh, I guess you’re right.” Rey was stumped. She had never thought of it that way. Her whole life she pushed people away, not willing to rely on anyone for fear that they would leave her. She prided herself on being above relationships, not needing anyone to be happy. Had she been pushing away love her whole life because of some silly notion of strength?

She had let Maz, Chewie and Finn in but is that why she preferred being a boy? So that there was no chance of falling in love? What did she know about falling in love anyway, she was only fifteen.

“Are you done with your epiphany yet?” Rose waved her hand in front of her face.

“Oh yeah sorry, just, that was really profound Rose.” 

“I’m a lot smarter than I look.” She gave her a mischievous wink. “Now, I’m going to suggest something but please don’t shoot it down right away, ‘kay?”

“Ooookay.” Rey looked at her suspiciously.

“I’m only saying this because you are only young once and being a young woman can at times be fun and I don’t want you to completely miss out, even though I think what you’re doing is way better.” Rey nodded at her to continue. “Tonight’s ball is a masque” She paused for dramatic effect. “Would you like to go with me as a girl? As Kira?” Rey turned on her and was about to object when Rose held up her hand in front of her face. “Before you turn me down, listen. I know you didn't like your last experience but now you know how to dance, and you’ll have me to help fend off suitors.”

Rey folded her arms and probably looked slightly peeved so Rose spoke up again. “Come on, it would be so fun. If you go as a girl we can spend the whole evening together and no one would bother us. Please?” Rey blew air through her nose.

“I don’t have a dress... and my hair, I don’t even look like a girl! And what do I tell the squires?”

“Easy, I have plenty of dresses you could borrow, and I even have some fancy capes you can wear to hide your hair. It’s a masque so no one will know who you are. And tell the squires you’re visiting family or something and they won’t even think twice.” Rose made some really good points. Maker, how could she turn her down.

“Fiiiiine.” She stomped her feet like a little child but it didn’t bother Rose one bit.

“Yay! Let’s go find Finn to let him know, then we’ll head to my apartment to get ready!” She let Rose drag her around and assumed that this might be a permanent fixture in her life from now on, and she honestly really didn't mind it.


	9. Chapter 9

Rose had far too much fun making Rey try on a bunch of different dresses. Rose’s parents weren’t home yet and they didn’t have any staff at their Coruscant apartment so it wasn’t too difficult sneaking her in. It would be rather awkward if someone saw a boy enter and a girl come out.

They settled on a white gown for Rey and a red velvet hood that bunched around her head and shoulders to cover her short hair. Rey had brought her mask from Midsummer as the only token of girlhood to the academy. She kept it safely hidden under her bed in a cinched bag. They had tasked Finn to grab it for her and bring it to them at the masque.

Rose tried to get her to put on makeup but Rey refused. Besides, if she had any residual left over at the end of the night they would all assume she had kissed someone and she would never live it down.

She packed her squire clothing into a satchel that Rose let her borrow so at the end of the night she could find a room to change in so that she could walk home and Rose could take the dress home. 

Rey looked into the mirror smoothing the pleats down of her white dress. The scarlet hood contrasted nicely with the white and she felt beautiful despite her short hair. Rose saw her smiling at herself in the mirror and hugged her from behind looking at her in the mirror.

“You look lovely Rey. I can’t wait for you to have your first dance with a boy!” Rose exclaimed, squeezing her tightly.

Rey snorted, “It can’t be that great, Rose.”

“Rey,” She placed her hand on Rey’s shoulders dramatically “Tonight you will experience the magic of the first dance, and it will change your life.” Rey just rolled her eyes.

*

They met Finn at the front wrought iron gates, Rey making sure to keep her hood down over her face hoping that no one would recognize her. She grabbed the mask from him and quickly placed it over her face, finally feeling free to look up and around. 

The masque this evening was at a different manor, but just as large and grand as the one from the previous night. 

She noticed that Finn was staring at her. “Finn, you okay?” She asked. He looked up into her eyes and flushed. 

“Sorry, it’s just... this is really weird.” He waved at her dress. Rose giggled and so did Rey, indulging in being a girl for the evening. “Now that’s even weirder.” Finn looked at the both of them giggling. Rey grabbed his arm and had him lead her up the steps.

“Oh squire Finn, you are quite pleasing, please lead me in a dance.” She cooed at him and he shook his head at her.

“I will never get used to this. My brain can’t handle it.” She and Rose laughed together and eventually Finn joined in. They walked into the grand hall and Rey let go of Finn’s arm. 

“Let’s get some food!” Rey started towards the food table and missed the looks that Finn and Rose gave each other.

“You’re nothing if not predictable.” Finn sighed. Rey turned to glare at him but then quickly turned back to admire the table. It was laden with all sorts of delicacies and she licked her lips as she started to load her plate full. Rose and Finn grabbed a few things and they walked around and stood at the edge of the dance floor, eating, chatting and watching the dancers. 

At one point Mitaka started walking towards Finn, and in desperation Rey elbowed Finn hard so he would go meet him and take him somewhere else. 

Rey finished off her plate and offered to take hers and Rose’s to the table while Rose talked with her friend Jess. 

She made her way across the hall, weaving between groups along the back wall towards the table when she saw a large someone in her trajectory. She was about to sidestep him but looked up and froze. They locked eyes and he froze too.

“You.” He breathed.

“You.” She growled. She pivoted and started speed walking the other way.

“Hey wait!” He raced to catch up with her. He reached to grab her arm but quickly retracted it after the glare she leveled at him. He was wearing the same black outfit as before, so she was sure it was her tormentor, Ben, from the midsummer festival. 

“Please, wait I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Please Kira?” He pleaded. She rounded on him.

“How did you even know it was me?” She asked incredulously. 

“Your mask, I recognized it from before. Then the dinner plates confirmed my suspicion.” He said, motioning towards the plates in her hands. “No other girls carry multiple dinner plates around.” He smirked.

“I— they’re not both— ugh!” She grunted in frustration and turned back towards the table to rid herself of the darn plates that gave her away. He matched her stride and whisked the plates out of her hands before she had the chance to rip them away.

“Here, let me. Page!” He grabbed a page by the collar, yanked him towards him and shoved the plates in his arms quickly as Rey was already starting to walk away. He caught up with her again. “Where were you last night? I looked for you everywhere.”

“I didn't come last night.”

“Why not?”

“I didn’t feel like it.”

“Or maybe you just didn't want me to see your face.” He remarked. She couldn't help but grin at that. “Aha! A smile!” She shoved him in the side and kept walking. He tried again, “Are you enjoying the events?”

She thought about her shoulder and how it still ached and the bruises that lined her arms and sides from her sword fight. She shrugged.

“Oh come on I know you must have enjoyed it.” He really wasn’t willing to give up. Rey sighed.

“I found them very enlightening. I learned a lot.”

“Well that’s descriptive.” He remarked sarcastically. She couldn't help but laugh at the joke. He really was starting to grow on her.

“If I give away which events I watched I may be in danger of you stalking me down tomorrow to pester me again.” She gave him a sly smile as they continued to walk along the perimeter of the dance hall, however, she did slow her steps down. He smiled down at her.

“You caught me woman, although knowing that you watched any of them, I’ll visit them all tomorrow to find you.” He gave her a slight bow accompanied by a flirty smile.

“Looks like I’ll be staying home all day tomorrow then. Pity.” Rey sighed dramatically. He chuckled.

“Lady Kira, there is no pleasing you, is there?” He sighed, shaking his head.

“Sir Ben, the only thing that pleases me is food, which you already know so much about.” Rey replied.

He lunged to the side and Rey looked at him, confused. He turned around and with a flourish and a bow, presented her with a fruit tart.

“Then please accept this humble offering, that I may enter into your good graces.” He looked up at her through his lashes and grinned. She rolled her eyes but accepted the fruit tart all the same.

“You really are quite persistent Ben.” Rey replied, then took a large bite of the tart.

“When one finds a woman who is interested in fighting and food, I can’t just let her get away from me now can I?” He straightened up and offered his elbow for her to take. She looked at him with a bemused expression and continued to eat her fruit tart. But all the same, she took his elbow. He seemed extremely pleased with himself. She ate the last bite and brushed the back of her hand against her mouth to remove any crumbs.

“Now that you’ve finished my peace offering, Lady Kira, would you join me for a dance?”

She was about to open her mouth to reply that, no she would not like to dance when out of nowhere he scooped her up in his arms, holding her by the waist and carrying her to the dance floor.

“I— what are you doing?! Let me down!” She exclaimed trying to beat at his chest. His extremely broad and solid chest.

“Not a chance. I know you don’t know how to dance and you need a teacher, so let me.” He placed her on her feet and held her steady so she couldn’t run away. He took her hands and placed them on his shoulder and in his outstretched hand and he placed his other one at her waist. 

“I really can’t dance, please, I’m going to embarrass myself!” She hissed through her teeth.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.” The music started and at once they both stepped forward right into each other and Rey let out a graceless ‘oof’. He laughed “What are you doing? You’re supposed to go backwards!”

“I told you I couldn’t dance!” She complained.

“I didn’t know it would be this bad!” He couldn’t help but laugh even harder which led her to start laughing. Her eyes started to water with how much she was giggling and she noticed he was gripping her waist a little tighter. His large hand splayed across her lower back and he pulled her into his chest which she could now feel rumbling with laughter. He lowered his head into the crook of her neck.

“Ben...” She sighed heavily. His head shot up and he looked at her. He gave her a shy smile. 

“So, I guess you need a little more instruction.” He righted his posture and resumed the dance position. “You step backwards and I step forwards.” He patiently explained the next few steps while simultaneously carrying her through them. She hardly touched the ground for the first few stanzas. “See? Not so difficult.” He smiled down at her. She hummed in response and focused on not tripping over her dress. 

After a few moments he let go of her hand to grab her chin and lifted it gently so they were face to face. “Kira, don’t watch your feet. I’ve got you.” He grabbed her hand again without breaking eye contact. They stared at each other for a few moments and then his eyes darted down to her lips as his own parted. She backed away slightly.

“So, what events did you watch today?” Rey tried a subject change to diffuse the tension that was building in the air around them. He closed his eyes for a second while his face stilled but he smiled again a second later.

“Participated, actually. I had a sword fight today, and tomorrow I’m to joust.” He said, puffing out his chest.

“Well, let’s hope you do better than—“ she almost had said ‘than I did’ but caught herself just in time “the ones I saw this morning.”

“Yeah, I was there. Those first years really had a rough time keeping their lances under control.” He remarked.

“I know I almost— I noticed one almost dropped the lance. He had to clench the lance between his elbow and ribs to keep it steady, although even then he was only able to hit the other’s elbow.”

Ben eyed her quizzically. “Yes I did notice that. It’s usually that they lack upper arm strength.”

“Mmm, they probably need to do more pull ups on a tree branch or something. That could strengthen their triceps in order to hold that position more steadily for longer.” Rey said matter of factly, just stating her own training regimen that she had been diligently working on for the past twenty day cycles.

Ben looked taken aback. “Yeah, you’re right, that’s exactly what I did.” Rey smirked at him and he responded with a bemused expression. “You’re something else, Kira.”

Rey flushed a deep red and ducked her head to hide it in his chest. She rested her forehead against his pec and the hand on her lower back pulled her in closer until they were chest to chest. They had stopped dancing the correct steps to the dance a few moments ago and were now just lightly swaying to the music. Rey listened to his heartbeat and closed her eyes.

This must have been what Rose was talking about. This was magical. Until his hand started to move lower down her back. His pinky brushed over the swell of her bottom and she backed up in his arms.

“Ben.” She looked at him with a mock glare and his hand shot up back to her waist. He gave her a wolfish grin. 

“I’m sorry sweetheart. I’m just...” He looked down at her lips, and his hand moved up to grasp the back of her neck. Rey’s lips parted and her eyes fluttered closed as he moved forward and pressed his lips lightly to her own. Rey’s mind blanked out, the world went quiet and nothing else existed except Ben’s plush lips against her own.

“Kira!” They jumped apart and Rose suddenly appeared, grabbing Rey’s hood right as it was about to fall back. Ben’s hand placement must have caused it to slip. “Be careful.” Rose hissed at her, but winked at her all the same.

Rey stepped to turn to Ben when she felt a familiar wetness between her legs. Oh no, not now. Not with a white dress. She turned to Rose and widened her eyes at her and darted her eyes downwards to gesture to her crotch. Rose quickly caught on. Rey had tried to fight against wearing the white dress, but Rose was confident that Rey wouldn’t stain it.

“Come on, Kira we need to go.” She started to pull her away by the arm. Ben shot his arm out to grab Rey’s other arm.

“Wait! When can I see you again? Will you meet me tomorrow?” He asked her frantically. 

She looked at him and really wished she could. “I can’t, I’m sorry, I- I have— things—“

Rose kept pulling her and Ben followed, his hand still around Rey’s upper arm. Rey felt like the rope in a game of tug of war.

“At least give me a token? For the joust tomorrow? Please?” He looked at her with pouty lips. It was so hard to see his eyes with his hood and mask covering his face and the dim lighting of the hall. She longed to know what color they were. She longed to know even what his face looked like.

She looked around realizing she didn’t have a handkerchief like most girls should. “I don’t have— here.” She got an idea. She bent over and hitched up her skirts and reached for the innermost layer. It was just an underskirt anyway, she could repair it for Rose later. She ripped the fabric into some semblance of a rectangle and righted herself. She held it out to Ben and looked up into his face. His jaw was practically on the floor. He slowly took the fabric from her hand, his expression of shock turning into amusement. She let her fingers trail against his for a moment.

She smirked at him and turned to leave.

“Wait!” She heard a ripping sound and Ben was then placing a ripped piece of his black hood into her hand. She looked up at him through her lashes and smiled.

“Good luck tomorrow Ben.” And with that Rose whisked her away to the chamber pots to clean up, change her rags, and hightail it out of there before Ben could find her again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come be my friend on [ twitter ](https://twitter.com/mae2d2) !

Rey woke up dazed and content with lingering dreams of dancing close and feather light kisses. She smiled to herself and cuddled closer into her blankets, the memories warding off the chill of the morning. She heard Finn snoring on the other side of the room and smiled to herself.

Rose had told Finn what had happened immediately upon finding him and neither of them would stop teasing her the whole walk home. 

She brushed her lips lightly with her fingertips, closing her eyes and thinking about Ben. Maker, he had been infuriating, but his persistence and wit really was endearing. She couldn’t wait to see him joust today. She would finally get to see his face, and she would get to see her token attached to his lance. She felt positively giddy. She had never felt this way before.

She reached under her pillow and pulled out the black piece of fabric that he had given her. She held it over her nose and inhaled. It smelled like pine and something deep and heady. Her eyes fluttered closed as she held it to her face.

She sighed deeply. She had no idea when she would actually get to see him again, as Kira anyway. She didn’t know anything about him, and didn’t want to get her hopes up of anything. He’d probably forget about her after not seeing her for months, or years. She obviously wouldn’t be attending any future balls and he was rather old, he would probably need to marry soon.

The thought twisted Rey’s stomach into knots but she forced herself to confront reality. There was no future there for her. She had made her decision and she would become a knight. Love would just have to wait.

With that depressing thought Rey rose to prepare for her final event, her staff fight.

*

“You put me against an apprentice squire? Why?!” Rey stood there shocked staring at Lord Ackbar.

He placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “The staff is your strong suit. You consistently beat second and third years. I am confident you can beat him as well.”

Rey slumped in his hold and sighed. She was going against Cassian Andor, a skilled and charismatic apprentice squire. He would be coming up for his knighthood in a few years. There was no way she could beat him.

To make matters worse Elrik Vonreg and his gang sauntered up to the ring and sneered at Rey. “Excited to make a fool of yourself Kanata? Too bad your poor little girlfriend came all the way to see you get knocked flat on your butt.” He smirked at Rose and tried to sidle up to her. She glared at him and walked away. 

Rey turned away to ignore him. “Although, she probably won’t care, girls don’t know anything about fighting anyway. She’ll probably just assume you won.” His cronies had the gall to laugh at the stupidest joke Rey had probably ever heard. Rose looked like she wanted to punch him. Rey put her hand on her shoulder and whispered to her.

“Don’t worry Rose, he’s always making dumb remarks to us.” She clenched her hand tighter on her shoulder, “I’ll show them. Girls aren’t to be messed with.” Rey winked at her and Rose smiled back.

“Good luck Rey.”

Rey pulled her cape up over her head, handing it to Finn, and then tightened her arm wraps. She grabbed her staff, the one she had carved herself and gave it a few swings. Andor was stretching on the other side of the ring. The crowd was small, staff fights weren’t as popular, but a lot of fellow squires and even some knights had come to watch why an apprentice was fighting a first year. Apparently word had spread.

The herald called them forward and they knocked staffs and then both crouched into a starting position. The flag was dropped and Cassian swung his staff straight for her head. She blocked it easily, using her momentum to push it down into the ground and retaliated with a hit to his calf. 

He blinked up at her in surprise and smiled. He swung again and Rey parried it easily. By the way he fought in close quarters he was obviously an excellent swordsman but deficient with a staff. For the first time in each of her events, Rey believed that she could win.

She smiled devilishly and launched int a series of swinging volleys, forcing him back against the fence. He was then forced to hold his staff close to his chest and just barely blocked Rey’s attacks but she got in a hit to his unprotected side. 

She was getting a little to overconfident and missed a block to her pelvis. The moment the hit landed, her uterus bloomed with pain and she nearly doubled over. She was still bleeding and the pain had only been slight until right then. She grit her teeth and pushed through it. She would not let her womanhood get in the way of her victory.

She had to do it for Rose. She straightened up just in time to block Cassian’s uppercut swing. She locked hilts with him and pushed him back forcefully. He stumbled back and she swung her staff in her wrist before swinging hard using all of her body into a downward stroke, the staff landing on his shoulder and pushing him to the ground.

The spectators roared around her. She reached her hand down to Cassian and he gripped it tight and she pulled him up. He gave her a half embrace, patting her shoulder blade and said in her ear, “nice fight first year. I would be embarrassed but that’s some of the best staff fighting I’ve seen in awhile.” He backed up to look at her and she gave him a smile.

“That means a lot, thank you.” He gave her a grin and walked back to his side of the ring. Rey headed to her group and both Finn and Rose yanked her over the fence and pulled her into a hug.

“That was amazing!” Rose yelled.

“I can’t believe you won, you beat an apprentice!” Finn yelled. They let her go and Snap, Seff, Mitaka and Thanisson all congratulated her and gave her hard pats on the shoulder. Lord Ackbar came up to her with his arms folded.

“I hope this means you won’t doubt me again.” He raised an eyebrow at her. She smiled.

“No, Lord Ackbar.”

“Good. Now, that was some fine fighting I just witnessed. Let’s talk about that hit you let through.” Ackbar said. Rey groaned but listened with a smile, unable to whipe it off her face.

*

Finn’s sword fight was the last event before the main joust. Rey was antsy. She was feeling elated from last night, from her win and that she would finally get to see Ben’s face. She was half paying attention to his match when she heard a clunk. Finn’s arm plate at just broken off and skidded across the ground. 

People yelled all around them to stop but Finn’s opponent had already started a swing and was unable to stop the trajectory and his blade sliced into Finn’s forearm. Finn howled in pain and dropped to the floor. 

Rey and her friends jumped the fence without waiting and rushed forward to help him. Snap grabbed his sword and Rey removed his helmet while Lord Ackbar ripped part of his tunic to wrap around the wound. Finn was breathing heavily and sweat was dripping down his forehead, his eyes wild and scared. Ackbar tied the wrap extremely tightly and it was soon soaked red. Seff helped walk him over to the side and then Thanisson and Mitaka helped to remove his armor. 

Finn’s face was screwed up in pain and he was trying desperately not to cry. Ackbar turned to Rey. “He needs to get to the medical tent so they can clean this up and then he should go straight back to the academy to rest and eat. He’s loosing a lot of blood.”

After the doctor finished stitching up his wound within the smelly and dark medical tent, Rey ran to get BB. Seff and Snap helped Finn to mount the horse and Rey hopped up in front of him. “Hold on to my tunic.” She said to him and sent BB into a gallop down the avenue toward the academy.

*

Finn was sound asleep when the boys finally got back from the events and the closing ball of the festival. Rey went out in the hall so as to not wake him. 

They excitedly told her about their time dancing and partying, apparently Mitaka had finally found the courage to ask a girl to dance after much persuasion and encouragement from Seff. Rey congratulated him and he flushed a deep red. 

“How was the joust?” Rey asked, hoping to get an indirect answer about Ben.

“It was amazing!” Snap exclaimed.

“We saw so many knights. Antilles, Hux, Dameron, Echo Arc, Baze Malbus, Ren and so many more!” Seff said excitedly. 

“Rey, you should have seen Ren joust. It was amazing. He has all these moves that no one ever dares to try.” Thanisson gushed.

“He wins pretty much every tournament he goes to.” Mitaka said, awestruck. 

“Too bad all anyone cared about was his stupid token. That’s all any of the girls would talk about at the ball.” Snap complained.

“Why’s that such a big deal? I thought most people rode with tokens.” Rey asked, puzzled.

“Oh it’s not a big deal, not for anyone else anyway. But it is for Ren apparently. Word has it he has never once rode with a token and he’s notorious for pushing any and all girls away. I swear I saw multiple girls in tears over the whole debacle at the ball tonight.” Seff chuckled. “Poor lasses don’t even realize how miserable they would be if they actually knew him.”

“Seriously, I saw him once at a tournament and I don’t think I saw any other emotion on his face but a scowl.” Rey told them and the boys nodded in agreement. 

“His temper is legendary.” Mitaka said. 

They told her more about the joust and about the girls they met before each one was yawning uncontrolably and decided it would be best to sleep. Rey was bummed she didn't hear anything about Ben, but she didn’t think he was a knight, so the squires wouldn’t have known him anyway. Civilians joined the events sometimes but weren’t as popular as knights.

Plus, she really needed to stop thinking about him. She had years of work ahead of her and she couldn’t get distracted now. She was determined to be a knight, and nothing would get in her way.


	11. Chapter 11

Rey’s first year flew by. Her day to day was filled with training, riding and study. About every fifty day cycles or so their year would go to a neighboring city or town for some public works projects or to go camping and hunting. 

Since Rose was living in Coruscant for the courting season, she Finn and Rey would meet up every holy day and walk around the city together. Rose was always on the lookout for Ben at the balls she attended but was never able to find him. Rey figured it was for the best. 

Although no matter how hard she tried, he always seemed to find a way into her thoughts. She missed the way he talked to her and the way he had held her close as they danced. She didn’t tell Finn and Rose about her day dreams. They were for her and her alone. 

The Spring and Midsummer festivals came and went. Rey’s fighting improved, winning her staff fights, winning one joust round and not loosing as terribly as she could have in swords and hand to hand. She even participated in a bow event and actually was able to hit the colored marker. That wasn’t always a given with her. She didn’t attend any balls. She told herself that she didn’t go because they were too distracting. 

Rose always tried to get her to go and Rey always gave an excuse. She was tired, she had to catch up on reading, her leg had been whacked too hard. 

But in all honestly, Rey just couldn’t bear to see Ben again. She was afraid if he tried to court her she wouldn’t be able to say no. There was just no chance for courting and marriage in her position, and seeing Ben would only make her decision harder.

Those nights when Finn and all her friend’s were gone dancing and enjoying themselves, Rey cried into her pillow, telling herself that this was her destiny. She wanted to help those that couldn’t help themselves and she could only do that as a knight. 

Year two came and went in much the same way. During tournaments she signed up for as many events as she could so she could have better excuses to miss the celebrations. 

She received a letter from Maz and Chewie explaining that they wouldn’t be able to come for Midwinter like they had thought. They promised they would visit soon and they would write her before they came. So, she celebrated her sixteenth birthday without them that year, buying herself a cream puff at the midwinter festival.

Second year ended and third year started without much fanfare. Except an exciting hunting trip when Mitaka had fallen into a ravine and the rest of them had to fight off a hungry bear to get him out of there.

All anyone could talk about now as third years was the apprenticeship selection that would happen during the Spring festivals. The squires were antsy to get out of the academy and out into the real world, assisting real knights. 

Rey got better and better at jousting and even had a small following for her staff fights. She rarely lost and when she did her opponent usually left with just as many bruises if not more than Rey did. 

Rey’s friends started to shoot up and seemed to be getting bulkier by the day, while Rey gained lean muscle and grew a little taller but was now quite a bit shorter than most of the boys. Luckily, Mitaka was only an inch or two taller so she didn't look too out of place.

Thanks to all the physical training, her body was lean and sharp, but she wore baggy tunics and trousers to mask any kind of womanly curves just in case. Her breasts had tried to grow and she just stubbornly wrapped them even tighter. 

She did let her hair grow out a little longer, most of the squires did so it wasn’t too much of a giveaway. It almost reached her shoulders and she could put it back in a bun.

Rey’s group was tighter than ever. They did everything together and trusted each other deeply. Rey ached to tell them the truth but knew that it was just too many people to tell. Maybe one day if they found out they could forgive her.

Winter passed, including her seventeenth birthday, and the snow melted into spring. The third years grew increasingly nervous for their selection. Pretty soon knights would be arriving from around the empire, to watch the squires practice and then attend the tournaments that would help them select an apprentice. 

Some knights would specifically request an apprentice and some were assigned by masters or Lord Krennic. Her friends had tried to needle out of Lord Ackbar who he thought would work with each of them, but he refused to give away any names of who he was considering. 

The days passed quickly and soon enough the time came and every day more and more knights showed up to hang around the academy to check out the new group of apprentices. It made Rey increasingly nervous and the pressure made her clam up. Many knights tried to talk to her but she would awkwardly direct the conversation back to Finn who was always happy to chat.

The day before the beginning of the selection Lord Ackbar gave them a pep talk and professed his love for them and how proud he was of their growth. Rey wanted to cry but held it in. She would miss Ackbar the most after Finn. 

Finn. She was still in denial about having to leave him. In just a few days she would be off to who knows where with some random knight who doesn’t know her secret and things would get infinitely more complicated.

Finn had had to give her lots of assurances that she could do it. She made it this far and there was no sense quitting now. She was anxious but excited. This was just the next step to knighthood. Another hurdle that she could and would pass. She could do it. Ackbar believed in her, her friends believed in her, Maz and Chewie believed in her and Rose and Finn had the utmost faith in her success. She was determined to make them all proud. She was ready for the selection. 

*

“How many knights do you think will show?” Finn whispered to her out of the corner of his mouth.

“I dunno, there’s eighteen of us, and there’s already thirty in here so who knows.” Rey responded

“Are they going to have to fight over us?” Finn whispered back. She was about to laugh when Seff elbowed her in the side.

“Oi! Stop talking, Krennic’ll have our hides.” Seff whispered angrily.

Rey straightened back up against the back wall. They were supposed to be standing still, silent sentinels as the Knights filed in to the dining hall. Rey thought they all looked quite striking, all of the squires were in their red and black uniforms, their tunics pressed and hair slicked or tied back. They waited, backs ramrod straight against the stone wall. Once the Knights were all seated then the squires would be expected to serve them, like they would be with their apprenticeship. 

They had been standing for longer than two bell tolls. Dinner was to start at the five bell toll and they still had a little while to go. She sighed and continued to watch as more knights meandered into the hall, hugging, clapping each other on the back and yelling greetings across the room. They were quite a rowdy bunch. Rey saw sir Dameron surrounded by laughing knights, all of them talking animatedly and enjoying themselves. She didn’t know that he needed an apprentice. Maybe she would get lucky and be paired with him.

More and more knights were streaming in. She really had no idea how many there even were but there must be hundreds. Because this didn’t even include all the knights that already had apprentices. 

Just then a hush fell over the hall. Rey looked around to see what had caused such a reaction when her eyes landed on a familiar scowl. Sir Ren strode through the large arched doorway, looking as surly and angry as ever. His face was gaunt and pale, with deep bags under his eyes. His hair was disheveled and greasy and he wore chain mail underneath his tunic. Once again he was wearing all black. His heavy boots thudded against the floor and the spell he had seemed to cast broke and noise resumed once again.

Rey continued to watch him, fascinated. He didn’t smile at anyone as he walked over to Lord Krennic, shook his hand, and then found a seat against the wall that sat overlooking the entire dining hall. He sat with his arms crossed, glowering at anyone that came near him.

Rey studied him as his eyes swept the room. Was he looking for a squire? Maker help whoever he chose.

Rey forgot all about Sir Ren because just a moment later the five toll rung and the squires jumped to attention. They walked briskly to the servants hall adjacent to the dining hall, grabbed the platters of drinks and food prepared there, and roamed the hall handing out mugs of ale as the knights seated themselves for dinner. 

Krennic gave some introductions and explained the proceedings of the next day as Rey grabbed a platter of roast duck. She weaved in and out of tables doing her best to avoid any collisions with other squires. Mitaka was not so lucky. He must have been shaking from nerves because out of nowhere he dropped a platter of potatoes and the whole hall erupted in cheers. A few kinder knights helped him track down all the potatoes and returned them to the kitchen.

Rey suppressed a laugh and continued on.

*

The next morning started with hand to hand combat. They paired up squires based on their skill level so that no one would have an unfair advantage. Rey was paired with Elrik. He still didn’t like her but they had become more cordial over the years. He was a little heavier and taller than her, but she was definitely faster. She could do well.

She watched all the rounds leading up to hers, the sun getting higher in the sky with each round. By the time it was her turn it was beating down, suddenly determined to welcome summer. She entered the ring, tightening her arm wraps, not willing to give them up, even though she was starting to sweat through them. She dropped into a crouched starting stance and the flag was dropped. Elrik lunged and Rey sidestepped him. He made a few more swings and Rey ducked and dodged, throwing a few uppercuts to his jaw and punches to his side. They each got a few hits in before it was declared over. No reason to prolong it. It was just an exhibition to show their skills.

Rey looked around and saw some knights milling about, some watching but most not. The selection exhibitions were long and arduous, and many of the knights were already getting into mugs of ale. 

Dameron seemed to be weaving some tale, by the amount of laughter that was coming from the group around him. She recognized a redheaded knight from a few years ago, the one who had been with Sir Ren. He was standing with perfect posture, conversing with a few of the academy’s masters. Baze Malbus also seemed to be extremely popular. He looked more barbarian than knight, but squires and knights alike found him fascinating, and he seemed to be showing off his giant cleaver that must have come from the outer rim.

She sighed. She needed to get noticed by someone important. If she wanted to help people she had to make sure her Master would be someone willing to take action. None of these men who were joking around in the courtyard, not even bothering to watch. 

She decided to save her strength for the staff and the joust. Then she would give them a show.

The rest of the day held the rest of the fighting exhibitions, and tomorrow would be the jousting tournament, which was more for entertainment rather than selecting an adequate apprentice. Most knights would know by the end of today who they would be choosing based on their performance in the trials.

She did all right with the sword, but didn’t go all out, not wanting to get sore, and not many were watching anyway. The majority of the knights were busy watching Snap or Kallus, or the squires that were tall and broad.

She cursed her small frame and height when an idea popped into her head and she smiled to herself.

Archery went as well as suspected, which was not utterly horrible. Finn was nervous but was a riot chatting with the talkative knights, so she was confident he would do well.

Her time came for the staff. It was late afternoon and the sun was starting to set, casting an orange glow across the fields and arenas, and bathing the castle in a bright bolden light. It was the last event of the day and it was right before dinner so pretty much everyone was outside. Knights and Masters milled about, conversing and catching up, some watching the fights intently when an interesting prospect took to the ring. She looked up at the castle to see many younger squires looking out the windows, their noses pressed up against the warped glass to catch a glimpse of the more famous knights of the Empire. 

One common fixture of the day had been Sir Ren. He had chosen to stand under the yew tree, close enough to see everything, yet far enough away that no one would approach him. He stood there rigidly, watching the proceedings with great interest, occasionally talking to a knight or a master when they came to him. 

Rey had been lined up to fight Boba Fett, but she had talked to him earlier and he had agreed to pair up with someone else. She shook nervously, hoping she wouldn’t get in trouble for her brazenness. Lord Ackbar called to her and she walked over and he ushered her into the ring. But before the match could be announced she quickly jumped up onto the herald’s box, planting her feet hard and holding her head high.

“Kallus! Wexley!” She yelled towards the waiting squires. People started to turn from their conversations, looking to see what was going on. She leveled her staff at the two boys. “I challenge the both of you to a duel. Do you accept?” 

She stood there, her leg shaking slightly, but otherwise confident. She noticed the men walking closer to the arena, their curiosity peaked, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Sir Ren, his gaze unwavering from her. She pushed the though of him out of her mind. The two boys looked confused and then Snap broke into a smile. He and Kallus looked at Lord Krennic who waved his hand in affirmation. They both gripped their staffs and sauntered towards the ring, vaulting over the wooden fence with ease. 

The sight of the two most wanted squires entering the ring soon had all the knights gathering around, leaning against the fence and chattering excitedly. Wether she win or loose, either way they would get a show, and Rey was determined to make it good. 

She jumped down from the box, then tightened her boots and her wraps as the two readied themselves opposite her. She had beat both Snap and Kallus separately and was sure she could take them both at the same time. They were both large, slow, and unexperienced with staffs. It would almost be too easy. But the knights didn’t need to know that. It was just a show anyway.

She smiled to herself and twirled the staff in her hand before crouching low, shifting her weight from leg to leg, almost taunting. The two boys followed suit and the noise of the crowd fell to a hush as Rey breathed deeply in and out when the flag dropped. They lumbered towards her and she smiled.

Her staff became a whirlwind of movement, she was quick, choosing to go on the offensive, which wasn’t her usual style. She swung and lunged in quick movements alternating her attacks between each squire. 

Kallus aimed for her head and her block was perfectly angled to hit hers and his staff into Snap’s chest. She used the confusion to whack Kallus in the knee with an underhanded swing to slow him down even more. She ducked and spun underneath Snaps attack and stuck out her foot to hit Kallus in the ankles. He went down and she shot up bringing her staff into Snaps side.

He bent over and Rey used her shoulder against his to knock him over just as Kallus was jumping up. He made a swing for her legs which she jumped over and closer to Kallus. He was too close to get his staff into a swing and tried to jab at her. She wedged her staff and hands next to his, spun her staff around and sent his flying over the fence and into the crowd of knights.

She spun around just as Snap was about to deliver a blow. She blocked, fainted to the left and hit his right elbow making his grip less steady. They exchanged a few fast hits and blocks and Snap squatted to aim at her legs. She took advantage of his lowered position and vaulted over him, turning in midair to bring her staff around his neck and locking it with her hands from behind. She brought him to his knees and yelled, “Yield!”

Snap dropped his staff, raised his hands and yelled, “I yield!” She released her grip and stood and walked to his front to offer her hand. He grasped it and she pulled him up. 

After a few moments of shocked silence, the crowd broke into a deafening roar. She smiled as she and Snap walked over to Kallus. Snap patted his hand against her shoulder. 

“That was brilliant Rey, well done!” He was smiling at her, unfazed that he had just been beaten when it was two against one.

“Sorry to drag you two into this, I figured the two top prospects’ reputation wouldn’t be hurt too much by a lowly staff fight.” She gave them a sly smile.

Kallus actually smiled back. “I’ll have to beat you into the ground tomorrow, but I have to admit that was a good fight.” He gave her a nod and walked back to his group.

She and Snap reached their group as the next staff fight commenced. Finn crowded her with a big hug and she received more claps to her shoulders with a chorus of congratulations.

She turned to watch the next fight, not nearly as interesting as hers had been when she noticed a pair of eyes watching her. She turned and they locked with hers. At some point during her fight Sir Ren had walked out from under the Yew tree and closer to the ring. He nodded at her once, his hair blowing lightly in the wind, and then walked away back into the castle.

*

“Third place Rey! I can’t believe it!” Finn looked like he might actually cry. She was wiping down BB before they were to go to the dining hall for the selection. “You knocked Ezra out of his seat! That’s impossible! How did you even know how to?”

Rey shrugged, “I saw Sir Ren do it at the last festival. He kind of shoves his lance a little lower and then,” She made a lifting motion with her arm and a pop sound. “It was my first time trying it but I figured Ezra was pretty skinny so it could work.”

Finn looked at her in amazement. “Rey, you really are something else. You’re the strongest, smartest person I know.” He gripped her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “And I’m not just saying that.” He looked around and dropped his voice low, “You as a girl, are stronger and better than most of the squires here. I have never been so happy and proud to be your best friend.”

Tears pricked at Rey’s eyes and she gave him a watery smile. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you Finn. If it wasn’t for you I don’t know if I would have survived this.” He shook his head.

“You would have. I helped, but you’re stronger that you think. In any circumstances I believe that you would have succeeded. It’s just who you are.” He said solemnly. Rey really burst out into tears then. She wrapped Finn in a tight hug.

“Finn, you’re one of the best people I have ever met.” She let go just enough to look into his face but so she could still hold him. “You’re kind and fun and so incredibly intelligent. You’re going to be such an amazing apprentice, and when you become a knight, you will be the best one, I just know it.” She wiped tears out of her eyes and Finn did as well, smiling through his tears.

“I’m going to miss you so much Finn.” She breathed.

“And I you. We’ll see each other again. I know it.” They broke apart and she wiped her eyes and he patted her hair. “Now, let’s go see what the next three years of our lives look like!”

*

“Squire Finn Storm of House Stormhold has been selected by... Sir Poe Dameron!” 

Finn broke out into the world’s biggest smile and clapping and cheers thundered around the stone hall. Rey gripped his elbow before pushing him off to join his new master. She watched him walk away with a spring in his step and he eagerly sat next to Sir Dameron who gave him a hearty clap on the back, smiling at him broadly.

“Squire Dopheld Mitaka has been selected by Sir Armitage Hux!” More cheering and clapping escorted Mitaka as he shakily started to move towards a knight with immaculate red hair that Rey had seen earlier.

“Squire Elrik Vonreg has been selected by Sir Kel Canady!” Elrik puffed out his chest and marched over to a stiff looking knight seated so straight Rey was nervous his back would snap in half if someone hit him.

One by one her friends and acquaintances were selected and she clapped for each one. As time wore on her heart thundered within her chest and she felt her pulse rising steadily with each person called. She debated in her head wether she should nod, or smile, and how she should walk to look confident. She drew a shaky breath.

“Rey Kanata” Rey’s heart stopped completely. “...of Manor Takodana has been selected by... Sir Kylo Ren.” 

Silence filled the hall before a smattering of polite applause started. Rey forced her legs to move. She felt like she was walking through mud. She realized she didn’t even know where he was sitting. She glanced around hoping to see him wave her over like other knights had done but she saw no movement. She finally spotted him at the very back of the hall standing and leaning against the wall.

She walked slowly to him while the applause died out and eyes followed her as she marched to her fate. He kept his eyes on her as she approached him and he tilted his head to the side indicating for her to stand at his left. Rey’s mind was blank, still trying to process what had just happened. Her brain felt like a clogged up water wheel, to slow to move, and groaned and creaked when it tried to produce anything substantial.

He didn’t acknowledge her beyond that and she stood silently next to him as the rest of the squires were selected. After what seemed like eons of awkward standing, Lord Krennic finally stood to address the room.

“Squires, you have trained well and are now prepared to help the Empire achieve its goals. Work hard and with the help of your masters you too will become a Knight of the empire!” The crowd applauded.

“You are now apprentices, go forth!” Cheering ensued as pages and servants streamed from the kitchens with platters laden with food and drink. Ren turned to her, ignoring the merriment around them.

“Grab your things. We leave at once.” His face was emotionless. Like he was wearing a mask.

“But what about the celebration? We aren’t expected to leave until—” She stopped as he leveled a stern look at her and promptly left the room without addressing her, which clearly left no room for argument. She sighed deeply. Good thing she had already said goodbye to Finn. 

She exited the hall and found him standing in the foyer of the castle. He was observing a painting there of some old master that Rey had yet to learn the name of. He was a stern looking man, with burns all over his face. He wore all black, and the helmet he had under his arm was pitch black and terrifying. 

She opened her mouth to ask who it was but he rounded on her and cut her off. “Retrieve your things and meet me outside.” He turned his back on her and left through the open front doors and down the steps.

She rolled her eyes and made her way upstairs to her room. She entered in the small room and stood there taking in the last three years of her life. Her eyes welled up but she wouldn’t let any tears fall. She couldn't show weakness in front of Ren.  
She knew absolutely nothing about him except that he never smiles. And has a famous temper. Her heart was breaking piece by piece, her dream of becoming a knight felt like it was slipping away, Sir Ren taking it with him. How could she live with this man for some indeterminate about of years? 

It felt like a hand was constricted around her stomach, squeezing until she had not other choice but to throw up, or fall over. Her chest ached and her eyes felt tight, tears ready to fall at any moment. She swallowed hard and steeled her nerves. 

Of all the knights he would be one to deny her preparedness for the trials and refuse her knighthood. She would not lose her goal, and therefore would give him to reason to deny her knighthood. 

She crouched under her bed to grab her satchel and the two tan cloth bags, one filled with her bleeding rags and the other that contained her masquerade mask and the black piece of cloth the Ben had given her. The smell had worn off long ago and she couldn’t remember much what it was, but she couldn’t bear to give it up. Even if she knew he must be married by now.

She stuffed those at the bottom of her satchel and placed her clothes on top. She sheathed her sword to her belt, and slung her bow, quiver and staff over her shoulder. She gave her room one last look before heading downstairs to her new master.


	12. Chapter 12

Once at the stables, she opened the stall to find BB, brushed, fed and waiting for her. She patted his flank gently. “I hope you’re up for a long ride. I have a feeling we’re going somewhere far.” She recalled Ren’s disheveled look when he had first arrived. It seemed like he had just finished an arduous journey. 

She attached her satchel and her weapons to BB’s leather saddle and led him by the reigns out of the stable and to the front of the castle along the dirt path to where Ren was waiting. He was leaning against his horse frowning at the ground.

He looked up once he heard BB’s clopping and without looking at her he mounted his black stallion. His steed was large and muscular, like the man himself, with a mane and tail that flowed long and wavy. He must have washed and brushed his horse because the steed’s coat gleamed in the sunlight, and his hair was brushed so finely not a hair looked out of place. 

She swung her leg over BB and sidled up next to Ren, noticing BB’s own brushing. She had done a fairly good job, but he didn't look quite as orderly, due to his random placement of reddish-tan splotches. She patted him fondly. She looked up at Ren, expecting him to tell her the plan, or anything really, but he just nodded and kicked his stallion’s hide, which then canted forward down the road toward the gate. She followed suit a few paces behind. 

The sun was already setting, its red and orange glow falling all over the city, blinding her and she had to try to ride with a hand placed over her forehead to block it out. Night was coming quickly, and she wondered where they would stay for the night. They rode through the city, heading east. 

She watched people go about their lives, bartering at street stalls, chatting idly in groups, couples walking hand in hand, children playing in the street. She wondered if she could ever live a life like that. One that was normal, mundane, but quiet and peaceful.

There had to be an end to knighthood but when would that be? When she was killed? And even if she did survive would anyone want to marry her or would she be forced to be alone for the rest of her life? No matter what happened, she had Maz and Chewie, and Finn and Rose. She had family, she wouldn’t be completely alone. Nonetheless, she felt more alone now than she had since she was a runaway.

She shook her head. She was only feeling lonely because Ren was just quiet. They would get used to each other soon enough and things would be alright. She had to believe that.

They rode in silence until the cities and buildings turned into one storied houses with cheery flowers in the sills, which then turned into huts with thatched roofs surrounded by people in rags, and then into fields flowing with corn, grass, or wheat. The sun set and the twilight darkened until they were only riding by the light of the moon through a smattering of fields and light forests. 

From her lessons with Finn, she knew that directly east of Coruscant was the city of Alderaan and where the border of the kingdom of Alderaan had begun. Now it was all under the Empire. 

They rode for a long time, in utter silence and in complete darkness. She was so nervous about any missteps that there was no chance she could fall asleep. She was gripping the reins so tightly her hands hurt and her body was almost vibrating with how tense she felt. She had never ridden through the night before.

All she wanted to do was rest, or even just slow down for a moment. How long had they been riding? Dawn must be coming soon right? Night and time were so confusing when you didn’t have bell tolls to tell you what was happening. She felt disoriented and confused until suddenly she could see some lights in the distance. She heard Ren clear his throat and she pushed BB a little faster to ride alongside him.

“Kuat.” He grunted and nodded towards the lights getting closer and closer. Kuat had been part of Alderaan, but had been mostly spared during the fighting. “We’ll rest here and continue in the morning.”

“Where is it we’re going?” Rey asked him. He glanced sideways at her.

“Nal Hutta.” He said evenly. 

“Where the Hutt gangs are from?” She didn’t know anything else about the place except for the name of the famous gangsters. 

“Yes.” Well he wasn’t one for descriptive answers. 

“What will we be doing there?” She pressed.

“Colonizing.” 

“Like bringing cities into the empire?”

“Yes.” He said it with a note of finality seemingly wanting to end the conversation. If one could even call it a conversation. She didn’t want to upset him so she lagged back a little and resumed her riding spot a ways behind him.

They reached Kuat but before they entered the city he veered off of the road and into the forest. She followed as they rode deeper and found a small clearing surrounded by a circle of trees, the moonlight just breaking through the tree tops to illuminate the space. 

He dismounted and tied his horse to a thick oak tree. She did the same and he removed two bedrolls and two blankets from his knapsack. He handed her one of each without a word and proceeded to roll his out on the ground. 

Rey started to look around for some kindling to start a fire and Ren coughed.

“Don’t. We don’t want to be found.” He then turned his back to her, and lied down. Rey shivered from the cold air and rolled out her bed and blanket. It was just like her runaway days. Except this time she didn’t control her own destiny, someone else did.

*

She awoke to Ren rolling up his bedroll and strapping it to his stallion. The sky was a dark grey and the air was chilly, a fine mist spreading out across the leafy ground. She shivered as she removed her blanket which was damp from the fog. She rolled the blanket into the bedroll, hoping to air it out later, and attached it to BB. They mounted and rode back onto the road.

In Kuat they stopped by a bakery to purchase some freshly baked dark wheat bread and a lumpy white cheese with a strong odor. The majority of the city was still sleeping, except for the few whose jobs depended on rising before the sun. They too were blinking sleep out of their eyes and looked just as drowsy as Rey felt. 

The city was small and quaint, but it was hard to see details when it still seemed so dark out. They left before she could really register them having been there. After a while of riding, the empty grey sky broke and it started to drizzle softly, coating them in a light mist. She pulled her hood up but after too little time she was soaked through and the rain only got worse. It poured from the sky in sheets, making it hard to see, and splattering mud all over her and BB.

She wanted to talk to Ren about what they were going to be doing in Nal Hutta, or talk about anything really. Anything to get her mind off of her aching bum and her mind numbing boredom. But the rain was too loud and after a few attempts to talk to him she gave up.

The next two days were more of the same. Silence, riding and rain. The land slowly started to change from forests and fields to swamps and marshes. The weather became more hot and humid but the rain stayed about the same. 

Finally on the fourth day of riding, they crested a hill and Ren pointed down into a valley below. “Nal Hutta.” They galloped down the hill and rode into the city. Ren pulled his hood a little tighter to himself and Rey did the same.

They made their way through the outskirts of the town, past buildings that were rotting from the humidity, warehouses with broken windows, and barns with the roofs caved in. She really hoped the entire city wasn’t like this.

They rode up to a dilapidated building with a sliding door. Ren motioned for her to open it and she quickly jumped down to open it for him and he rode in. She grabbed BB’s reins and followed behind, closing the door behind her. 

Finally out of the rain for the first time in days, Rey pulled down her hood and looked around. It was one medium sized room with a door at the back that must have led to a chamber pot. On one side of the space was a trough and piles of hay. On the other side was a mattress on the floor and another one propped up against the wall.

From the looks of it he had been living here for awhile. Some clothes hung on a line that spanned the room, and a makeshift table held a few dishes, a candle, parchment and ink. Ren led his horse over to the trough and unloaded his supplies into the other side of the room. Rey copied him.

He then dusted off the mattress leaning against the wall and dropped it to the floor and it landed with puff of dust a ways away from his. He pushed it so it was flush against the wall and he motioned towards it.

“That’s for you.”

“Thanks.” She dropped her things onto the mattress and sat down to remove her boots.

“Keep those on. We’ll be leaving soon.” He then turned around and left through the back door. Rey sighed and dropped her face into her hands. She was getting tired of this. She couldn’t go from chatting amicably all day with Finn to awkward silence at every moment. She’d have to find a way to break him.

The polite and quiet squire approach obviously wasn’t working, so she might as well give that up. She looked down at her mud splattered tunic and trousers that were rumpled and greying. She couldn’t even see the leather of her boots through the caked on mud that coated them. They had been wearing the same clothes since they had left Coruscant and she smelled like a hog. She sniffed her armpit and grimaced, wishing she could at least change clothes, but wishing to bath and rid herself of all this grime. She tried to run a hand through her shoulder length hair and found it greasy, matted and horribly knotted.

He came back into the room and Rey stood up.

“So where are we going now?”

“Spying.”

“On who?”

“The Hutts.” He said flatly. Rey snorted.

“Well, obviously. We’re in Nal Hutta. I may not know much but I at least know that. It’s in the name, Maker!” She huffed. Ren looked at her, confused as he sheathed his sword in his belt but didn’t answer. 

“Are we spying on all of the Hutts? I was under the impression there were quite a few of them.” Rey said sarcastically. 

“Rotta the Hutt. Specifically.” He said as he retied his boots.

“And why are we spying on Rotta the Hutt? Specifically?” She needled him. He shot her a dark look and rose to stand over her.

“Because I’m telling you to squire. Now come.” He started to open the sliding door and walked through. Rey grabbed her sword and her staff and ran out after him.

“You know, I could be more useful if I actually knew what we were doing.” Rey told him as she caught up and tried to match his stride. Maker, he was tall. His long legs and far stride made it so she had to step twice for every one of his and it made her feel ridiculous. 

He grunted in response and turned onto another street. It was early evening and people were starting to gather around pubs, and raucous laughter and singing could be heard from quite a few of them. 

“You’re going to have to talk to me eventually. You can’t just ignore me forever.” She told him matter of factly. He looked at her with an expression that was hard to read but she swore one side of his lips quirked up just slightly. 

“We’ll see.” That made her laugh.

“Don’t expect me to just back off. I gotta talk to someone and since you’re stuck with me that’s gonna be you. You can either talk back or listen with rapt attention.” She knew she was annoying him but it was kind of fun. He frowned but didn’t look at her or respond. She’d try again later. 

The farther into the city they walked, the nicer it became. Houses and buildings were freshly painted, the warehouses were large and modern, and the pubs and streets were crowded and jovial. After going down a few more streets he ducked down an alley and she followed. They moved down the alley until one building turned into the next. He stopped at that one, which had two windows on the second floor. He found a handhold on one of the flagstones and hauled himself up.

She did they same and soon they were both climbing until they pulled themselves up onto the roof. Ren placed a finger of his lips to indicate silence and they tiptoed over to the other side of the roof. He laid flat on his belly and inched forward until his head was off the edge. She did the same next to him. Down below was an enclosed yard that was attached to the building which boasted a small garden and a little pond that may have just been a miniature swamp. She wasn’t sure.

Ren lowered his knife gently and wedged it into the edge of the window and slowly pried it open until voices from inside drifted towards them. 

“—won’t let up. I imagine It’ll be wet for the next few day cycles.” Said a sly voice.

“Could be helpful.” Another voice, nasally this time. 

“It would be if it didn't keep ruining my new brocade tunics.” Said a voice that sounded like it was drenched in slime.

Whoever these guys were, they continued discussing the weather and then moved on to talking about a dice game that had taken place the night before. Rey fisted her hands together and placed her chin in her hands and closed her eyes. Might as well get some rest.

After some more bland conversation she heard Ren shuffle and she tuned back in.

“—was only a matter of time before they caught on.” A deep raspy voice said.

“Have they sent the credits yet?” Said the sly voice.

“No, Ren said he was going to get them from Snoke himself. He should be back any day now.”

“If he doesn’t double cross us first.” Said the slimy one. Rey shot Ren a look but he was focusing on the voices from below.

“Do we know where he lives yet?” The deep voice asked.

“No. We haven’t been able to track him.” The sly voice answered.

A bang sounded and Rey assumed it was a door that had burst open. “Sir, the prisoner is causing trouble again.” Ren shot up from his perch. 

The deep voice answered. “Subdue her. But quietly and calmly. We need to keep her well for the trade.”

“Yes, my lord.” The voice left the room. Ren quickly and quietly moved over the the other side of the roof with Rey hot on his heels. He waited, squatting in the darkness and looking onto the street. Eventually a door opened and out came a man wearing a dark grey cloak. He pulled up his hood, looked up and down the road, and walked north at a brisk pace. Ren quickly turned and ran towards the next building, jumping off the edge and leaping onto the roof, following the cloaked man.

They leapt from roof to roof, until they saw the man enter what appeared to be a warehouse that was a little farther down the road from the other building. Ren squatted down and motioned for her to sit as well, so she did. She thought about starting a conversation, but he was staring intently at the warehouse and she didn’t want to break his concentration. 

They perched on that roof long enough to hear the ten and eleven bell toll. Rey was starting to doze when Ren gave a tiny cough to catch her attention. Her head snapped up and she looked at him sheepishly. He just cocked his head towards the warehouse and started to descend the building they were perched on towards the alley next to it.

Her arms ached as they scaled the flagstones, but eventually they reached the ground and sprinted across the avenue into the alley of the building next to the warehouse. It was packed between two other buildings and inaccessible except from the front. 

They continued to crouch in the shadows, Ren occasionally looking out onto the street and Rey jiggling her arms a little, trying to get a little more feeling in them after their climbing. After awhile the same cloaked man left the warehouse and walked back towards the first building. After the man was out of sight, Ren walked towards the door and jiggled the iron handle. It was locked.

Ren seemed to think for a second, pulled out a knife and held it up like he was going to hit it with the handle of the blade. Rey caught his arm at the last minute and he caught her eyes with an icy stare. She moved his arm down and pushed him to take his place standing at the door.

She pulled some long pins from her side satchel and tested the first one in the lock. She had kept the pins from her days of scavenging. When she was younger she had been too weak to break locks off of chests, and it was easier to open them with a little finagling. 

After a few tried pins, the lock finally clicked open and she stepped aside to let Ren lead the way. He looked at her quizzically but pushed open the door and stepped inside. She followed him into a dimly lit room with one candle. The room seemed unoccupied, and a chair sat alone in the corner by a small table that perhaps was meant for a guard.

There was a staircase off to the side and Ren started to climb. They entered a dark hallway and started down it, encountering no one. Before they could turn the corner a cloaked figure emerged from it and Ren ran straight into him.

The man’s eyes widened in surprise but before he could even yell out, Ren’s knife was thrust into his abdomen and his knees buckled. Ren caught him around the shoulders and lowered him slowly to the floor, dropping him before he straightened up and stepped over him. 

Rey gaped like a fish, her eyes bugging out of her head. She had seen men kill others before, that wasn’t new to her. But a knight of the Empire? Killing random guards? That couldn’t be right. She followed him, looking down at the man’s ashen face and his tunic slowly soaking with crimson as the wound bled out.

They turned the corner and a man sat towards the end of the hallway, dozing off in a chair. Ren strode forward, pulling out his knife. Before Rey could think, she rushed past him, pulling out her staff and whacked the sleeping man upside the head. He went from asleep to out cold and hit the ground with a thump. 

She looked up at Ren and saw a thunderous look descend on his face when suddenly the door burst open and out poured three men brandishing knives. Two of the men swung for Ren and one chased Rey down the hall. It was a tight space and she could barely move her staff without hitting it against the walls. So she pulled out her knife and held it in a backwards grip, hoping to hit him with her hilt to knock him out.

After exchanging a few blows she hit him in the temple with the hilt and he crumpled to the floor. She looked down the hall to see more men had come out of the door and Ren was now fighting four of them. She emitted a feral growl to catch their attention and two of them ran towards her.

Unfortunately her growl and the blows must have been loud because more men came from the stairs and some of the other doors in the hallway.

A pile of bodies was quickly building up around Ren, all bleeding, and a small pile was next to Rey, all of them unconscious. She heard a door bang open downstairs and looked at Ren. He seemed to make a mental decision and pushed through the two men he was fighting into the room the first men had come out of. 

Rey continued to fight off her two attackers, watching the door and waiting, trying to move in that direction. After a few moments she heard two thuds and two people came striding out of the room towards her. Ren and behind him an extremely tall, blonde haired woman brandishing one of Ren’s knives. Her pale hair was shorter than Rey’s, cropped closely to her head on the sides, with a little bit of length on top that was greasy and dirty. 

She had a black eye and dried blood stuck to her face that looked like it had dripped down from a nasty cut on her forehead. Her grey billow sleeved tunic was ripped in the front with spots of dried blood staining it. Her brown trousers had slash marks in the fabric as though she had been in a knife fight. Other than that she seemed all right. They came up behind Rey’s attackers and each stabbed one in the back. They pushed the bodies to the ground and strode past Rey without really looking at her.

They got all the way to the stairs when a flood of men started to clamber up, and if the noise hadn’t woken up the entire city, Rey would have been surprised. Ren kicked the first one in the face, who yelled loudly, sending him toppling down into the others. He then jumped down the flight of steps, landing on top of the pile and Rey heard the crunching sound of what have must been someone’s bones. There were yells and screams of agony as well as anger as the pile of men tried desperately to untangle themselves from each other.

She cringed but flew down the stairs, following the light haired woman. They each killed, and in Rey’s case, knocked out, a few more men, and the woman led them to a door that led in the opposite direction of the front door. She spoke up and her voice sounded as though it hadn’t had water for days.

“This way.” She commanded, her voice a quiet rasp. Ren immediately followed, as did Rey. They escaped through the door and as one man tried to follow them Ren kicked him in the gut sending him flying back and slamming the door in his face. They appeared to be in the storage part of the warehouse. Ren looked around and grabbed a barrel nearby and placed it in front of the door that the men were trying to push through and were banging on furiously. Rey and the woman each grabbed barrels as well to place in front of the door.

The contents swished around and Rey almost dropped it before placing it on top of Ren’s, effectively blocking the door.

They raced across the floor towards a window at the back corner. Ren grabbed a rock lying near some tools and threw it at the window, shattering the panes and sending glass skittering all across the floor. It crunched under his feet as he stood underneath it and the woman walked up to him and he boosted her up, sending her vaulting over the sill. Without preamble he grabbed Rey around the waist and lifted her enough so she could grab the sill with her hands and she pulled herself up and out.

The woman was scaling the wall towards the roof and Rey followed. Ren soon emerged just as a hand shot through the window trying to grab his ankle. He kicked at it, catching the fingers between his boot and the window sill, crushing some of the digits. She heard a yell of pain from the window and Ren scrambled up the wall gripping the flagstones. 

Rey reached the edge of the roof and the woman offered her hand to pull Rey up and over the edge. Rey turned quickly to see that Ren was just about to reach the top when a hand closed around his ankle and pulled. Rey and the woman grabbed his arm holding on tightly as the other hand around his ankle pulled harder. 

Another man climbed up next to him brandishing a knife. Rey let go to shove her staff at him, but the man just dodged. He made a slash at Ren with the knife and because both of Ren’s arms were occupied all he could do was duck his head, but a little too late. The man’s knife slashed through his face, cutting him from eye to shoulder. Ren howled in rage and head butted the man that had cut him and sent him flying down the wall and he landed on the ground in a heap.

Rey shouldered her staff and grabbed his other arm and as they suspended him in midair, he kicked out and against the wall, bringing the man holding his ankle hands against the stone. The man let go with a yell, realizing his mistake too late, scrambling at the flagstones desperately as he fell down the wall.

Rey and the tall woman pulled Ren up over the roof ledge. Ren’s face was bleeding profusely but he looked unfazed as he righted himself and then ran across the roof, both of them following close behind. 

They ran and leaped over roofs in all directions, running at random until they couldn’t hear any kind of pursuit behind them. They eventually slowed down, raised their hoods to block out their faces, and climbed down to the street. The bell on the nearest church tolled twelve times as they finally turned onto the road that housed Ren’s makeshift home and they looked around carefully before entering.

As soon as they got in the woman crossed her arms and spoke. “Well that must have been the worst rescue attempt I think I’ve ever seen.”

Ren turned on Rey, his eyes black and face murderous. “If you hadn’t knocked out that man then we wouldn’t be in this mess!” He looked deranged, blood trickling down his face and rage in his eyes. “All you needed to do was stay silent and follow my orders!”

That made Rey’s blood boil. “How was I supposed to follow orders that you didn’t even give me!” She yelled at him.

“I don’t need to give you orders! You’re a squire and you need to follow me completely and obediently no matter what!” Ren yelled back, his face flushing red, probably from the blood loss.

“And as a squire I vowed to protect people, not murder them while they’re sleeping!” She threw her hands up in the air.

“They’re gangsters! Slavers! They’ve all done horrible things and don’t deserve to live!”

“Well how was I supposed to know that! You wouldn’t tell me anything!” 

“You don’t need to know everything!”

“I didn’t say everything, just anything! You could have told me something of what we were doing and then we wouldn’t have been in this mess!” She gestured wildly to his face practically screaming at him.

He pointed angrily at his bleeding wound. “This is YOUR fault!” 

“Then why am I even here? Why did you even bring me? You’ve never had a squire before!” She yelled, glaring hard at him.

Right then the woman spoke up, interrupting Kylo’s next loud remark. “He makes a good point Kylo. Why is he here?” She turned on Ren with her arms folded, one eyebrow raised. Ren straightened up and leveled a glare at Rey before turning to speak to the woman..

“I needed an apprentice.” He spoke evenly.

“Bullshit. Snoke has never allowed you to have one nor have you ever wanted one. I heard whispers that you disappeared for a few days and suddenly you have a squire. Why?” She pressed, staring at him intently.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you.” He sneered at her. He made his way to the chamber room and slammed the door behind him, rattling the dishes on the table, and leaving silence in his wake.

“What’s his problem?” Rey said harshly and turned to the woman, still extremely frustrated and angry.

“He’s a moody bastard.” She responded coolly. Rey growled and then took a deep breath in, and then out through her nose, trying to calm herself. She looked back at the woman. 

“I’m Rey by the way, Rey Kanata of Takodana.” Rey stuck out her hand and the woman eyed it suspiciously before shaking it.

“I’m Sir Gwendolyn Phasma of Coruscant, but just call me Phasma.”

“You’re a knight?!” Rey practically screeched before schooling her emotions into a calm facade. “How?!”

Phasma just laughed. “Well I’ve certainly never gotten that reaction before. Usually people just think I’m joking.”

“Why would you be joking?” Rey asked.

“Because women can’t be knights?” Phasma stated it like a question. Rey shuffled awkwardly.

“Well, yeah I guess...” 

Phasma sighed. “I pretended to be a boy. No one knew until after I was knighted and by then it was too late. I have the title although most prefer to ignore my existence. I’m not really welcome in Coruscant so I keep to the outer rim, mostly under command of Ren.”

“Well that’s ridiculous. You should be respected just as much as any other knight.” Rey said indignantly. 

“Well now you’re starting to sound like Ren. Only you and him agree on that so I’ll just stick to the outer rim until you can convince everybody else.” She walked over to the table, eyeing the contents and sighing. 

“Typical Ren, bloody nothing to eat. I’ll go get us some food.” She walked over to Ren’s satchel and flipped it open to fish out some credits. “I’ll be right back.” And with that she left, grabbing Ren’s cowl to hide her disheveled state on her way out.

Rey’s mind was still reeling. She was a knight. She was a girl and she was a knight. Sure she was basically exiled but they hadn’t killed her! She must be really useful otherwise they would have gotten rid of her. 

For the first time in years Rey allowed herself to dream of a future that was something other than being a man for her entire life until she was too old and went into a life of isolation and loneliness. Maybe after she was knighted and proved her worth she could show her true self.

Maybe she could even meet someone and she could marry. Ben. She hadn’t thought about him in years, or so she told herself. Maybe she could find him, maybe there was a chance he wasn’t married. He liked the fact that she knew about fighting, maybe he wouldn’t mind if she actually could? She thought about his gentle arms holding her and his soft lips brushing against hers when the chamber door burst open and she was brought harshly back to reality by Ren and is decidedly ungentle nature.

“Where’s Phas?” He looked more angry than worried.

“She went to get food.” Rey was sitting on her mattress with her head leaning against the wall. She looked up to see that he had cleaned up the blood and had clumsily stitched up the gash with some black thread. 

He sat in a chair and they waited in tense silence until Phasma came back with some bread, cheese, dried meats and a small barrel of ale carried in a small shoddily built wooden crate. Rey rose from her lumpy and stained mattress to the table and they tucked in. They all ate in silence, too hungry and exhausted to talk. Phasma fashioned a bed out of some hay and blankets and after they each took a turn changing in the small room with the chamber pot, soon enough they were all sound asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

After a night of blessed deep dreamless and especially warm and dry sleep, Rey awoke to the sound of voices. She shut her eyes tighter, not wanting to move or get up. Her body ached all over from days of riding, fighting a mob of gangsters, scaling buildings and running all through the night. She never wanted to move again. 

As she slowly gained consciousness the voices became clearer. “—feeling better this morning. It stung most of the night but.” He made a humming noise. 

“Well it will leave a nice scar at least. Very roguish. The ladies will love it.” Phasma chuckled.

Ren mumbled grumpily, “Just what I need.” At that Phasma laughed a little harder.

“Yes, that’s exactly what you need. Please go get laid so the rest of us can live in peace.” Phasma joked. Ren must have given her an angry look because she backtracked. “I know I know. Go and get married or whatever, anything.”

“You know I can’t.” He said glumly.

“Oh, yeah, cause of that— what’s her name? Whatever, forget about her. She’s probably married. Just find another sweet young thing and have some children. That’ll loosen you up.”

“Even if I wanted to Snoke won’t allow it. He doesn’t approve of distractions.” Ren hissed.

“Well you obviously don’t care enough to listen to him. What’s with the squire hmm?” Phasma said smugly.

It seemed that Ren was unwilling to answer. Rey was now wide awake but didn’t dare move. She didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping but more importantly she wanted to know why he had chosen her as a squire. Phasma gave up on getting an answer. She hit the table which almost made Rey jump.

“Kylo, I don’t know what excuse you gave yourself, but you’re lonely. I’m the only person you see besides Snoke and I only see you every 15 day cycles it seems.”

“I’m just tired, I wanted help.” He mumbled.

“Sure, pick the scrawniest squire in existence to help against the Hutts. Makes sense.” She said sarcastically.

“He’s stronger than he looks. I was going to give up on choosing one during the tournaments but he challenged two of the biggest third years to a staff duel. He beat them both at the same time.”

“So?” Phasma asked.

“He knows his strengths and doesn’t crack under pressure. And no one will suspect him. I’m sure he’ll be able to blend in anywhere without attracting attention. Plus, the Hutts won’t try and recruit him”

“Hmm. I guess so.” Rey heard the sound of chair legs scraping against the ground. “I’ll get some breakfast.” Rey heard footsteps and the sliding door opening and closing. She used that noise as an excuse to ‘wake up’. She got up slowly, blinking sleep out of her eyes, grabbed a change of clothes and avoided eye contact with Ren as she made her way to the chamber pot.

There was a cracked mirror attached to one wall, a pot on the ground and a small table that held a basin of murky water. It wasn’t red so Ren must have replaced it this morning, but it looked as though he had used it to bathe. She relieved herself then stripped out of her sleeping clothes and placed them on the small table. She used the water and a washcloth to wet down her body, scrubbing hard to remove all of the dirt, mud and blood that had accumulated on her skin from the past four days. 

She also used the water to wash her hair, and tried desperately to run her fingers through the tangled strands, trying to put it in some semblance of order. Perhaps she should buy herself a comb. It had grown almost to her shoulders and was wavy. She pulled it back into a low ponytail, the front strands too short to reach, and donned a fresh tunic and trousers. She added two stretches of fabric that crisscrossed against her chest and belted it tight. She stepped back out and walked over to her things to don her arm wraps. 

When Phasma returned they ate breakfast and Phasma gave her report.

“So, while you were off picking up your little buddy here, I figured out the next target.” She said matter of factly.

Rey interjected, “Before we continue can you please catch me up one what’s happening? I really don’t want to be kept in the dark again.” She folded her arms against her chest, glaring at Ren. He huffed in indignation but she refused to let down or break eye contact. He finally gave in.

Ren and Phasma shared a glance and he waved at her in affirmation. “What do you know about the Hutts?” Phasma asked.

“Um, they’re slavers?” Rey spoke it like a question.

“So, nothing then. Great. The Hutts are slavers, which isn’t legal, but King Snoke turns a blind eye generally because they pay a lot of taxes. Well recently, Snoke wanted to raise the tax a bit to aid the colonizing efforts in the expansion region. The Hutts weren’t happy about it and slowly started attacking Empire towns to get Snoke to lighten up.” She paused to make sure Rey was on track, so Rey nodded and Phasma continued.

“However, Snoke doesn’t care much for towns of no monetary consequence so he didn’t rise to the bait. Their tactics weren’t working and we caught wind of a bigger operation but we couldn’t seem to get any information from anyone. So, during a skirmish, I accidentally ‘got captured’. They demanded a ransom which Ren had enough to pay right away, but I needed more than a few day cycles to be able to overhear something important.”

“So, Ren disappeared for a few days to collect the credits from Snoke, but he just grabbed you instead. But, either way I guess we didn't need the credits because here I am.” She gestured to herself dramatically.

“Now,” She turned to Ren. “I heard a lot of talk of Kamino. From what I gathered I believe that they want to hit Kamino so they can siege Scarif. Kamino isn’t important enough on its own, but it conveniently stands in the way of the only road to Scarif.” Phasma informed them.

Ren cut in. “And if they hold Scarif then trade with Mon Cala and Kessel become infinitely more difficult.” 

“But isn’t Mon Cala closer to Coruscant than we are?” Rey asked, puzzled, hoping she had her geography right.

“Yes, but the road is almost impossible for shipping. The land in between is killed Kashyyyk and it is full of dense jungles, volcanoes, lakes, hills, and mountains and valleys all around. It’s difficult just getting a horse through. So, cities on the northern seaboard send their cargo to Scarif and then on to the rest of the empire from there because the land is much more manageable for wagons and teams of horses.” Phasma explained. 

“When?” Ren asked. 

“I believe not until after Midsummer. You know the Hutts, nothing gets in the way of their festivals. My best guess is they want to have control of Kamino by Midwinter and then after the festival, will move on to Scarif to have it by Spring.” 

“They’re thinking long term then.” Ren added.

“Yes, this isn’t just some crack job because they’re pissed. I think Rotta really is trying to build his own mini empire. I think he’s sick of being under Snoke’s thumb. And a lot of towns are joining him. Some by choice, others...not.” Phasma told them.

“Next actions then?” Ren asked.

“Not much except monitor the situation. We don’t have much more information to go on and we can’t do anything until we know more. I say you stay here with Rey, they haven’t seen his face yet... well, no one alive anyway, so he could get into some places unnoticed. I’ll head to Kamino and keep an eye on them there.”

“All right. Do you need credits?” Ren asked. 

“No, I’ve got enough back at my place.” She stood from the table. “I’ll ride back in twenty cycles to report.” Ren stood and shook her hand. 

“Good luck.” He told her as she shook his outstretched hand. She gave Rey a small salute and strode from the table and exiting outside. 

Rey was shocked. She had been expecting to get to spend more time with Phasma, she had wanted to hear all about her life. But she would now have to wait twenty day cycles to interrogate her on how she managed to become a knight. She must have looked put out because Ren snorted.

“She’s not one for dallying.” He said. Rey looked up at him.

“I wonder where she got it from.” Rey said innocently, looking at him with a quirked eyebrow. Ren’s mouth quirked up at that, but was soon down again. She’d have to work on her jokes. One of these days she’d get him to smile.

*

The next twenty day cycles before Phasma returned were spent mostly walking around the city and listening in on conversations. They hardly saw any kind of action, not like Rey’s first night. There were a few fist fights here and there, but no dead bodies, thank the Maker.

She and Ren would lounge around street corners and in the backs of pubs listening for any kind of chatter about the Hutts. Every few nights they would stake out the Hutt building, the one they had visited on their first night, but security had been upped since their little attack and they couldn't access the roof like they had before. 

They watched who came and went, keeping track of who was part of the clan and who was just on the payroll. They would tail these people and soon had a wealth of information about who was apart of the clan, where they lived, what business they did, what cathedral they attended and what they’re kids learned about at school. Rey didn’t like spying on kids, but Ren wanted a thorough investigation. 

Ren still hardly smiled, although Rey was able to get him to give a small chuckle every once in a while. They didn't have any more screaming matches, but they weren’t the best of friends either.

If they were expected to be with each other for a few years, Rey really wanted to remedy that. She tried one sunny summer day while they were outside of a pub eating chicken on the other side of the city from the Hutts. 

“So Ren, where are you from?” She asked him with a mouth full of drumstick.

“You can call me Kylo, you know.” He glanced sideways at her and his mouth quirked up when he noticed her mouth full to bursting. She used to get embarrassed by it but he only seemed to find it amusing so she couldn’t find it in herself to care anymore. 

She swallowed. “You sure? Don’t want to get to close, ya know. Could hurt your reputation.” She joked.

The edges of his lips raised a little higher. “No one’s here, I’ll just go back to ignoring you when we’re around other knights.” He said dryly, and Rey laughed.

“Seems fair. Now, back to my question.” She looked at him expectantly. 

“Chandrila.” He said with a hint of sadness.

“I’ve never been there. What’s it like?” She asked.

“Beautiful. The city is clean, most of it made with white stone. It has tons of trees and plants all around so it doesn’t feel like a city. It’s green and there are lakes all around.” He said a little wistfully.

“Did you like growing up there?” She asked. He immediately frowned.

“It was fine.” He seemed to think for a moment and changed the subject. “How was growing up on Takodana?”

“Oh I didn't grow up there.” Rey said before she could really think about it. Kylo gave her a puzzled look. Well, too late now. “I was orphaned on Jakku. I was discovered to be a nephew of some nobles on Takodana and shipped there when I was twelve and then left to be a squire when I was fourteen. But for the few years I was there I loved it.”

“I’m sure it was a nice change from Jakku.” He said.

She smiled at him, “It really was.” She dug back into her chicken. “What’s your family like?” She mumbled around her lunch. Kylo immediately stiffened up and then abruptly stood.

“We need more information before Phasma gets here, which could be any day now. Let’s go to the bathhouses and we can listen in there.” Rey’s eyes blew open wide.

“No!” Rey yelled and Kylo turned to look at her. She lowered her voice. “I’m just, really— uh, um, I don’t— please, let’s just go to the market instead.”

He looked annoyed but acquiesced, turning in the direction of the market. Rey licked the chicken from her fingers and tossed the bones to the dogs before walking down the street to follow Kylo, wondering how bad his family must have been to have a reaction like that.

*

The summer heat swept in with a vengeance on the eve of the midsummer festival. Nal Hutta took their celebrations very seriously and the city had been in a constant state of preparation for the past few days. Rey couldn’t go anywhere without seeing empire and Nal Hutta banners lining windows and people dancing in the street or singing festival songs.

A few knights had trickled in to compete in the tournaments. Rey itched to participate in the joust, but they were trying to remain anonymous and couldn’t afford to break their cover. The Hutts’ treason against Snoke was still a very much covert operation and the only knights who knew about it were just the three of them.

Rey hoped that she would see one of her friends, but she had no reason to hope for that. She had not gotten to say goodbye and had no way of knowing where they had gone or where they were now. The only knights who came to Nal Hutta seemed a little disheveled and quite a bit more crude than the ones she did know.

Kylo told her it was likely because they were being paid off by the Hutts or threatened by them. He wasn’t sure which but didn't dare talk to them. 

They had a plan to hang around the pubs closest to the Hutt hideout and hoped that the festivities and drinking would loosen their tongues. 

Ben had also sent Rey to inquire for work at the manor that would house the city’s opening night gala. She had reported once a day to help prepare the manor and was expected the arrive early in the afternoon to prepare and serve food. 

On the first day of the festival, Kylo was sharpening her knife for her as she was donning a servers tunic before she was to head over to the manor. “Remember to look out for Grakkus. He rarely leaves Nar Shadda and it has to be for the rebellion.” Kylo was babbling.

“I know, I know, we’ve been over this a million times.” Rey said, exasperated. 

“Do you remember what he’s supposed to look like?” He quizzed her.

“Fat and ugly just like the rest of them. It’ll be fine Kylo, don’t worry about me.” She put her hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. They were such a nice deep brown with flecks of gold. He usually tried to hide them with his hood but whenever she could see them they were always so expressive. Usually she just saw apathy or anger but right now they just looked caring.

Her stomach flipped a little at the thought, but she suppressed it. 

“Just be careful. As annoying as you are, you’re pretty useful.” He flipped the knife around and held the blade and presented her with the hilt. She grabbed it and smiled.

“Ah it’s more than that Kylo, you enjoy my company don’t you? Just admit it.” She scrunched up her nose at him. His lips quirked up. He had such plush lips.

“And ruin my reputation? Never.” He vowed, mock seriously. Rey laughed out loud and shook her head. “Now let’s get out of here.” They parted a few streets down, Rey headed towards the manor and Kylo towards the Hutt hideout. He was going to tail them to the festival and then to the gala to make sure they didn’t miss any conversations during the day. And he would be outside the manor in case Rey needed help.

The evening passed dully. Rey meandered around the room with a platter, grabbing guests’ empty cups and taking them to the kitchens. She made sure to not round the Hutt group too many times, but tried to walk as close as she could to catch whatever they were saying.

So far all the talk she had heard was about an apparently very nice brothel that they would be visiting tonight. It made her blood boil.

She considered ‘accidentally’ dropping her platter full of cups onto Rotta’s back but that would probably only get her beaten in an alleyway. She made another round and when she came back a new man had arrived. A very fat and very ugly man that could be no other than Grakkus. 

She stood near them and turned around, pretending to be very interested in a tapestry on the wall that boasted an extremely handsome knight brandishing a rose for a dainty maiden. They were surrounded by vines decorated with sharp thorns. 

“The production factories are just about all allied with us. All that’s left are a few that belong to Snoke personally. The Kaminoans aren’t loyal to the empire, they just want their trade routes unaffected and their taxes low. We think after a few more negotiations, they will concede to our demands.” Rotta grunted. 

“Hmmm, good good.” Grakkus’ voice was deep and oily, like a slug. “What are you promising them?”

“Untaxed access to the north ports of Scarif.” Rotta replied. 

“And our return?” Grakkus drawled. 

“Five cases of weaponry every twenty day cycle.” Rotta supplied. 

“And what are to become of the north ports of Scarif?” Grakkus asked.

“They will be an unfortunate casualty in the siege of Scarif. Along with the majority of the downtown close to the docks. That area will make a most excellent slave market.” Rotta laughed and Grakkus joined in. 

Rey wanted to punch something but instead clenched her fists and continued to listen as they talked about the cities that would provide the best slaves, that would fall easily. 

“So you approve of the plan?” Rotta said hopefully. 

“Yes my boy. When I return I will send you the necessary credits with an envoy of representatives. Then you may proceed to take Kamino.” Grakkus said. Another voice then joined the two men.

“Lord Rotta, Ren has been spotted but has not been approached. We await your command.” 

Rey started, and move away from the tapestry slowly, making her way to the kitchens, and as she moved away she heard, “Bring him to me. Let’s see what Snoke can do without his attack dog.” Rotta growled.

At that Rey broke into a fast walk, and once she reached that hallway, raced to the kitchen, throwing her platter onto the table and sprinting out into the courtyard. She exited the gate and ran down the alley, looking wildly around for Kylo.

She saw him down the alley and across the street leaning against a wall in the shadows. She was about to call out to him when six thugs came up behind him. Rey screamed as one hit him in the head and the others grabbed his arms and legs. He was able to get one arm free and slashed wildly, felling one of the men. 

Rey sprinted as hard as she could, watching them pull him deeper into the shadows of the alley. She pulled out her knife, jumped up onto a stack of crates that were pushed against the wall, and launched off of them and into the group of limbs attempting to subdue Kylo. 

Her foot landed against the cheek of one of the men. His head twisted sickeningly and he crumpled to the ground. Before he fell she used his body to push into the thug next to him who stumbled, letting go of Kylo’s upper arm for just enough time that Kylo could yank it out and elbow him in the nose, sending him stumbling back. 

There were still three men holding Kylo’s other arm and cowl. One let go, pulled out his knife and ran at Rey while the other two threw punches into Kylo’s gut. Rey dodged his first knife swing and spun back slashing at his chest with a backhanded grip.

He blocked her arm and she kicked him in the stomach, sending him reeling back. She looked up to see Kylo stumbling around trying to get free. He looked dizzy, the hit to his head must have hurt him badly. She needed to hurry this up.

The man came running back and she ducked and tackled his legs out from under him, flipping him onto his back and kicking back into his face. He clutched his nose, screaming in the dirt. She ran at the other two and one let go of Kylo to come at her. He was big and clumsy and didn’t have a knife.

He threw a punch and Rey ducked and slashed at his leg. She kicked him in the wound she had just created and watched as he fell to the ground.

“Stop right there skinny.” An oily voice said. It was the same voice she had heard that first day of being Kylo’s squire. She looked up to see him holding a curved knife to kylo’s throat. 

“You stay right where you are and I won’t kill him.” He started to back up, choking Kylo in the process. Kylo’s eyes were glazed over and he looked like he was about to pass out. She took a step forward and he pressed the knife closer to his neck, drawing a small bead of blood. “Ah ah ah, stay right there.” 

She thought quickly. She wasn’t sure if Kylo could hear her but it was worth a shot. She looked at him and he met her eyes.

“You really need to relax Ren.” The oily man looked confused but Kylo gave her a kind of loopy smile which she hoped meant he knew what to do. She gripped her knife in her hand and watched as Kylo sighed and went boneless.

He shot up his hand to push the knife off and dropped to the ground as the man tried to hold on to him. As Kylo sank Rey gripped her knife and chucked it. It landed with a thud, blade first into the man’s shoulder. He looked at it with wide eyes and slumped to the ground.

Rey ran over and pushed him off of Kylo who was attempting to stand but kept falling over. She gripped his arm and brought it over her shoulder, helping him walk deeper into the shadows. She heard yelling in the distance and put her arm around his waist to practically drag him through the alley. She found an open doorway and entered it and shutting it behind her. She looked around and grabbed a chair to shove under the handle.

She ventured deeper into the dark building, eventually finding a front door that lead to an avenue that paralleled the one the manor was on. There were a few pubs on the street and a lot of people were milling about, drinking, dancing and celebrating. She tore off one of her arm guards and wrapped it around Kylo’s neck, staunching the blood. She pulled his hood down low to block the view of his face and neck.

She dragged him through the shadows around the crowds, ducking into the nearest alley, traveling as far away from the manor as fast as she could while being weighed down by Kylo. She took an extremely roundabout way home that lasted agonizingly long but didn’t want to risk being followed. They ducked into alleys and hid behind crates the whole walk home and she was always watching to make sure there wasn’t a tail on them.

After awhile she felt confident that they were alone and they made it back to their little apartment. She laid Kylo on his bed and rushed to the chamber room to wet some rags. She removed the wraps around his neck and his cloak. She was going to start dressing his wounds when she noticed some broken skin beneath his collar.

She pulled it down and realized there were a lot more. Apparently the thugs had gotten in quite a few hits while she had been fighting the others. She closed her eyes and sighed inwardly. She had seen him shirtless before but always managed to avoid looking and she never had the chance to study him.

She grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up over his head. His chest and abdomen were covered in bloody bruises. But even with the wounds he looked amazing. His shoulders were extremely broad and his stomach was fit and toned. His pelvic muscles formed a deep V that led into his trousers that Rey couldn’t take her eyes off of.

A small heat simmered low in her belly and she longed to see what was underneath. Now was not the time though. Well, there would never be a time, but she needed to get it together. She dragged her eyes back up to his neck. Luckily his eyes were shut and he was blissfully unaware that she was ogling his body. 

She cleaned and dressed his neck wound, and then moved on to his bruises. When she washed a particularly nasty one he winced. 

“I’m sorry, I’m trying to be gentle.” She said in a soft voice.

“It’s alright.” He grabbed her wrist and she looked into his eyes. They were a little more focused now that he had been able to lie down and have a few gulps of water. “Thank you Rey.” He let go of her wrist and she continued her ministrations. “Where did you come form anyway?”

“I was listening to Rotta and Grakkus when an aid came to tell them that you were there. He told them to capture you so I ran out to find you.” Rey explained. 

“Did you get enough information before you came?” Kylo asked.

“I think so. But even if I hadn’t I would have come to find you.” Rey said.

“Rey, you could have gotten important information, you can’t worry about me.” Kylo said, trying to be stern, but his voice was wispy and soft. Rey stopped dabbing at his wounds and waited until he looked her in the eye.

“Kylo, I’m only going to say this once. No information is worth your life.” She said firmly. He looked shell shocked. She paused for a moment then said, “Do you understand me?”

He stuttered, “But— I... no..” she interrupted him.

“I said, do you understand?” She looked into his eyes and she saw confusion, hurt but mostly relief. She wondered why he didn’t think his life was infinitely more important than a mission. She would have to bring it up subtlety later. He nodded. “Good.” She resumed her work.

“You’ll be pleased to know that I did get a lot of information.” She told him all about the overheard conversation and they talked about the next steps they could take to prevent the Hutts from completely taking over Kamino. They agreed to wait for Phasma to return before they made any decisions. During their conversation Kylo had started to nod off, so as soon as Rey was finished dressing his wounds, she covered him up with his blanket and blew out the candle, whispering a silent “good night.”


	14. Chapter 14

After meeting with Phasma they agreed it was important to head to Kamino. With the festivals over until winter, the Hutts would spend all of their time slowly taking over the businesses of the city. 

When they arrived they stayed in Phasma’s one roomed shack and spent the next few day cycles looking for appropriate lodging. They found a deserted barn on the south side of the city and set up some makeshift beds out of hay and a table and chairs from some empty crates and barrels. 

They spent a few days fixing the thatched roof. There was a constant heavy rain on Kamino and the roof had too many holes in it to be livable. 

Rey and Kylo worked well together. They seemed to anticipate each other’s needs, and synced well when fighting. He wasn’t Finn, but Rey trusted Kylo with her life. He had come through for her on multiple occasions, saving her life more than a dozen times.

And with her rescue of him during Midsummer, that trust now seemed to go both ways. He was much better at keeping her in the loop and even asking for her advice and recommendations for plans and attacks. 

She also found if it was late enough and they had had a particularly good day, she could bring out a humorous side of him. She lived for those nights when they would talk about anything really, and they would end them laughing until she cried.

Phasma had already discovered two of the Hutts’ secret meeting locations and they spent the next thirty or so day cycles trying to find others. They continued a similar work like they had on Nal Hutta, tailing suspect persons and listening for any information they could.

They caught wind of a few rumors of warehouses that were being used to store the weapons that were being gained from their deal with the Kaminoans. It was said around town that those weapons would be used for the siege of Scarif.

They devoted most of their time trying to discover the locations of the warehouses. Occasionally they tried to meet with the leaders of the weapons factories to try to foster some deals, but the Kaminoans seemed determined to back the Hutts. 

They were also hearing whispers of other groups, large ones, joining the Hutts but they could never get a straight answer out of anybody. Rey found some work at a shipping yard that was controlled by the clan, hoping she would be assigned to at least one of the warehouses. The gang had still not seen her face so she was the best candidate for it.

She worked every day from sun up to midday but so far had only been asked to load crates onto wagons from one specific location that was well known. She picked up a lot of gossip, most was unhelpful, but she overheard a few tidbits here and there that were interesting.

Many people were unhappy with the Empire, not just the Hutts. Apparently the taxes had the whole Empire in a chokehold, especially large corporations. Rey had tried to bring it up to Kylo once or twice but he seemed convinced that Snoke was wise and knew how to run an Empire better than they did. She gave up trying to talk to him about it after a few angry and stilted arguments. 

She convinced herself that even though she was working for Snoke, it was to prevent the clans from increasing slavery, so she felt like what she was doing was good. One day at the shipping yard Rey overheard a man explain that his town had been forcefully overrun by knights of the Empire, claiming they were colonizing and helping them assimilate into the kingdom. 

“They rode in, smashin windows and throwin fire.” The grungy man told his tale, arms waving akimbo in the air. “They demanded to see our baron and his advisors and slaughtered em where they stood.” The man shook his head. “The baron was the granpapi of half our village.” Here, the man got choked up, pushing his greasy sandy blonde hair out of his eyes with shaking hands. “He was a good man. He— he helped me…” 

The man tapered off and others started to chime in with their own stories. Apparently it was common for knights to kill whatever noble there was in the town, burn their municipal buildings and bring in Empire men to take over. Rey thought back to her childhood and it sounded a lot like what had happened on Jakku. She decided to talk to Kylo about it.

She thought about how to bring it up to him on her walk back to the barn, holding up a tarp to block her body from the rain. What little of summer Kamino enjoyed was gone and the transition to winter had come in with harsh and heavy rainstorms and dark grey skies. They lacked just about twenty eight day cycles until Midwinter.

She pushed open the barn door and upon entering stopped in her tracks. Kylo was in the center of the space with his back turned to her, practicing sword forms. He swung and lunged, sweat dripping down his back and his hair swinging with every movement. Rey stood there, mesmerized as he moved with the gracefulness of a dancer. 

She had seen Kylo practice and spar plenty of times, but she had always studiously avoided looking when he was shirtless. Now she couldn’t stop. Her eyes raked in his pale form, watching as his muscles rippled with each thrust and lunge. He could be some sort of god. 

It hit Rey hard, like getting hit in the gut with a club. He was beautiful. And she liked him. She liked his expressive eyes and full lips. She liked his soft hair and his broad shoulders and body. She loved that she alone could make him smile and laugh, if only just barely. She loved fighting by his side, feeling completely confident that he would protect her. She loved that he respected her and trusted her completely. She loved him. She loved him.

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no no. This couldn’t be happening. She looked around wildly for an escape of some kind or something to remove this feeling from her body. Just then he turned around and saw her. 

“Oh, Rey, I picked up some fruit tarts today, I know they’re your favorite.” She looked at him with wide eyes and he tilted his head at her puzzled. “Are you alright?”

No, she wasn’t. Not at all. She needed to talk to him about something, right? Right, the colonization. She pushed her feelings deep down, effectively stomping on them, snuffing out their life force.

“No. Today at the yard I overheard someone talking about the colonization of their town. Knights came in and killed the baron and his advisors and burn down buildings. Why would they do that? How does that help anyone?” She practically yelled at him. He looked annoyed.

“I’m sure Snoke had a good reason for it. They probably were doing something illegal anyway.” He said simply.

“They weren’t. They were a farming town that specialized in jogan fruit. The leader was a grandfather to a quarter of the population and was loved by all of them.” Rey argued, voice getting louder. Kylo sighed and went over to the jug of ale to pour himself a mug.

“You don’t know that. You can’t know all the facts.” Kylo said.

“Well what if I did? What if I had lived through it?” Rey spat out. He turned to look at her with a dark look on his face.

“What do you mean?” He hissed.

“You know I grew up on Jakku an orphan but I never told you why. I didn't know what was happening at the time, but now hearing all these stories it sounds the same. I was too young to have experienced it but I experienced the aftermath.” She started to pace in front of the table while Kylo stood still, one hand clenched onto the crate that acted as the table.

“When I was four a bunch of men came and burned buildings and raided stores and houses. They destroyed everything. I don’t know what kind of people my parents were but I heard from others that they were drunks, but only began to drink after what had happened. I can only assume that whatever happened had scarred them so badly that they turned to alcohol.” She was pacing around the barn now, agitatedly throwing her hands and avoided eye contact. He just stood there and watched her.

“It became so bad they sold me into slavery. I never saw them again. They sold me to the new men that were put in charge of Jakku and I was forced to scavenge old ruins each day from sun up to sun down and if I didn't find anything good enough I didn’t eat. I was a five year old child and they didn’t care if I lived or died!” She practically screamed at him, her eyes watering and her pulse racing.

“They lorded their power over all of Jakku and you either joined them, died or ran away. I ran away. I lied about my guardians finding me. I ran until I found anyone willing to show me the slightest bit of love.” She yelled at him. At this point Rey was in tears and openly sobbing.

“Snoke is allowing these awful things to happen and I won’t do it! I can’t fight for him!” She turned on Kylo and he looked stricken. “I don’t know why you defend him but he’s a terrible person and a terrible king! You don’t understand Kylo, you could never understand!” She was hyperventilating now, her breaths coming in too quickly and she felt like she couldn’t breath. Her heart was beating a frantic rhythm against her chest, her arm ached like it did when she felt overwhelmed, and her instincts were telling her to run. 

She turned without looking at Kylo and sprinted out of the barn. She heard thundering footsteps and Kylo calling her name but she didn’t dare stop. She needed to get away from him, from all of it, at least for a moment. She ran through the woods along the muddy path and kept running until she was somewhere in the city. She had lost him at some point, probably due to the low visibility in the rain, so she slowed down and walked to a nearby pub, hunched in on herself from the cold and from her anxiety. 

She ordered an ale and sat in the back corner with her hood over her eyes, trying not to think. She had never been one to drink, especially given her history, but she wanted to banish all thought from her mind. She couldn’t handle it in this moment. She was so angry at him. She was angry at him for following Snoke so blindly. She was angry at herself for loving him. She couldn’t love him. He was difficult and moody and impossible. She didn’t want to love him. If she let it get too far it would hurt too much. Every day would be painful knowing he would never love her back.

Tears streamed down her face silently as she nursed her drink. She didn’t know what to do. She was disillusioned to the idea of being a knight. She thought she would be helping people but all she had done was kill for a man who reveled in power and murder. 

She wanted to stop the Hutts but she didn’t want to do it for Snoke. She wanted to do it to help the people of Scarif. She didn’t want to leave Kylo but she couldn’t continue knowing he was so deeply aligned with Snoke. There was just too much anger there. And too much hurt. She wouldn’t be able to stand seeing the man she loved make such wrong decisions.

She ordered another ale and gulped it down. Some part of her brain told her she was overreacting. She was scared of her own feelings and her instincts were telling her to run before she could get hurt. He couldn't leave her if she left him first. But the irrational part of her brain just wouldn’t listen to the one trying to tell her to calm down.

Her irrational self wanted to be hurt, it wanted to be mad and that felt good. Her life had been so difficult and it was only fair to find the source of that hurt and hate it. She hated Snoke so much. He had taken her parents from her and ruined her life. She cried bitterly as she glared into her now empty cup. She ordered another.

Her mind was fuzzy as she stumbled her way back to the barn. Her brain was chanting run, run, run and she was going to follow it. She just had to get back, get her stuff and BB and leave. She would leave Kylo and her traitorous feelings behind. Maybe she could find Finn. Maybe she could find another knight to apprentice to.

She’d figure it out later. For now she just needed to run. The sky was dumping rain and lightning shrieked overhead. In her haze she somehow made it back to the barn, soaked and splattered with mud. She opened the door and Kylo rushed forward, fully dressed now and looking stressed out of his mind.

“Rey where have you been, are you alright?” He grabbed her by the shoulders and ducked his head to look into her eyes.

Her eyes were rimmed red and her face felt puffy from crying, but she glared up at him. “I’m— hic— leaving.” She hiccuped again, and she was angry at her body for doing something so silly when she was trying to be serious.

“Wh— What? Rey, why are you leaving...wait, Rey, are you drunk?” And like an answer to his question Rey stumbled forward and tripped over her own feet into his chest. He caught her by the shoulders but not before her hands had a chance to feel his pecs. His wonderfully solid pecs. She seethed in anger. He had no right to tempt her this much. Thunder rumbled in the distance. 

She pushed him off of her hard and stumbled over to her things. She grabbed her satchel and started flinging things inside. She dropped it a few times and had trouble picking up the items off of the floor. 

“Rey stop this. You’re blackout drunk. Just go to sleep and we’ll talk about this tomorrow.” He said soothingly, trying to calm her down.

She still couldn’t get her bag packed and got angry and grabbed a small bag and threw it. She didn’t notice Kylo bend down to pick it up, nor did she notice that the strings had come undone. Lighting cracked and lit up the barn. 

“Where did you get this.” Kylo’s voice was dangerously low. Confused by his change of demeanor Rey turned around and paled.

He was holding her white lacy mask and the black square of fabric from Ben’s cloak. She gulped but didn’t answer. Her brain was having a hard time coming up with an excuse and she hoped he would speculate one and she’d go with that. But that didn’t happen.

“Rey... where did you get this?” He sounded murderous. Thunder rumbled overhead, growing louder and closer. 

“It doesn’t matter, why do you care. It’s just a mask.” Rey bit out sarcastically, her words slurred. He looked like he was ready to rip someone apart.

“I want to know where you got this. Where Rey?” His voice was deadly calm but rising in volume.

“It’s none of your business!” Rey yelled at him.

“Yes it is!” He yelled back. “WHO GAVE IT TO YOU REY?!” His voice thundered in the barn just as lightning cracked overhead, illuminating the barn in a flash of eerie light. Rain pounded on the roof as Rey’s anger reached a boiling point, clouding her judgment.

“IT’S MINE OKAY. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!” She screamed at him as she clenched her fists and stomped her foot. His face went from murderous to confused in one second. It took him a few breaths to get the words out. She waited, panting heavily. 

“Yours?” He asked her, voice so quiet it was almost drowned out by the thunder that sounded over them.

“Yes.” She bit out. “It’s mine.” She glared up at him. He still looked confused as he studied her face. He looked at the mask and the fabric then back at her face. His confusion turned to realization and his eyes widened in shock.

His whisper was so quiet she almost didn’t hear it over the rushing wind and pounding rain.

“Kira?” He said it like a prayer, like he was pleading, like he was going to cry. Rey’s mind shorted out. She couldn’t make out what was happening. How did he know that name?

“Wha— how... how do you...?” He held out the black scrap of fabric and she looked up into his eyes and realization hit her like getting hit in the stomach while jousting. She felt like she had been knocked off of her horse and was flying through the air, about to hit the ground. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her.

“Ben?” She whispered, incredulously. Kylo gasped and closed the distance between them wrapping her in his arms.

“Where have you been? I looked for you everywhere, why did you go away?” He said softly and earnestly. He seemed to realize he already knew the answer to those questions and let her go just as quickly. 

“What are you doing? How are you here?” His soft voice quickly hardened into one of anger. She opened and closed her mouth, still processing that Kylo is Ben, and Ben is Kylo and what, how did that make sense? Except that it kind of did. He had the same impossible personality, the same hair and broad shoulders and the same plush lips.

Ben was here. Ben is her master. Ben is a knight. Ben is unmarried. Her brain moved at a frantic pace and it ran and ran until she couldn’t handle it anymore and her knees buckled and she crumpled toward the floor. Kylo caught her around her waist with one arm and used the other to reach underneath her knees and hoisted her up. He walked to carry her to her bed.

“Rey— Kira... whatever, you need to explain to me what is going on.” He pleaded with her as he laid her on her bed. He sat next to her looking into her eyes. She closed them and tears streamed down her cheeks. She was so tired, so confused, so drunk. Her mind was reeling and everything blurred together as it spun faster and faster, like a top.

“Please just tell me this. Are you really her, are you Kira?” She opened her eyes to look into his. His eyes were watering slightly and his gaze looked so hopeful her heart broke for him. She nodded.

“So you’re not a boy? You’re not Rey?” He asked her softly. She blinked a few times but kept holding his stare.

Her words were a little slurred but she needed to tell him the truth. “I—I am not a boy. I’m a girl. But I am...” She sniffled and sighed. “I am Rey, my name was never Kira... it’s always been Rey.” She closed her eyes, tears escaping from the corners and her face was screwed up in pain. Kylo lifted her upper body to rest her in his lap. He held her close, his arms around her torso and her head laid against his chest. She felt teardrops hit her cheeks that weren’t hers.

“Why Rey, why did you leave me?” His voice was strained and his body shook as he held her tight, rocking slightly.

“I— I had to. My destiny, I had to be a knight.” Her voice broke at the end and she started to shake with sobs. “Kylo...Ben, I can’t— I can’t right now, I— I’m so tired. So so tired.” She continued to sob into his chest, fisting his tunic. The storm raging outside matched the turmoil raging in her heart.

“Shhh, shhh it’s alright sweetheart, I understand. You need to rest. It’ll be alright, I’ve got you.” He continued to rock her and he ran his hand through her hair oh so gently. “I’ve got you,” He whispered in her ear. Rey felt safe and secure and quickly started losing consciousness. The last thing she remembered was the rain slowing down, Ben kissing her temple and telling her that he had her and he was never letting her go.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come be my friend on [ twitter ](https://twitter.com/mae2d2) !

Rey awoke to sunlight streaming across her face. She was lying on her side and something heavy was on top of her hand. She blinked her eyes open but closed them quickly as a sharp lance of pain shot through her head.

What happened? Had they been in a knife fight yesterday? She tried to move but she was too tired to do anything except try to open her eyes again. With her free hand she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and opened them. Across from her was Kylo. 

He was sound asleep, his disheveled hair falling across his forehead. There were dark circles under his eyes but his face looked soft and peaceful. His hand was outstretched and was resting on top of hers.

It seemed he had dragged his bed over to the side of hers last night. Rey smiled to herself, and then all the memories from last night came rushing back to her. All the truths brought to light hit her again and she felt almost sick.

She closed her eyes and tried to take some deep breaths to calm her nerves. She was terrified that Kylo was going to send her away, or even send her to Snoke for trial. She wasn’t a knight yet, she wasn’t useful, what hope did she have to become like Phasma?

He was so angry last night at her, she couldn’t bear to see that again. It would break her heart. Maybe she could leave before he was able to wake up. But, like a sign from fate, he started to stir. His eyes blinked open and he gave her a lazy smile. Rey started to cry.

His smile turned to concern and he sat up quickly, scooting closer to her. “Rey, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” He tentatively grabbed her hand in both of his, rubbing his thumb in smooth circles on her wrist. She just shook her head.

“I—I... Kylo, Ben... I—“ she tried to get something out but it felt like her brain was full of cotton. He cupped her cheek in his hand and caught a tear trailing its way down her skin with his thumb.

“It’s alright Rey. We don’t have to talk yet. You probably have a nasty headache. How many drinks did you have last night anyway?” He asked her as he removed her hands from his gently and got up from his bed. He walked over to the makeshift crate table and glanced inside the pitcher. He frowned at it.

“Umm I think three? Maybe four? I don’t remember.” She dug the heels of her hands into her eyes and groaned. 

“Whew, okay, you need some water... and food.” He donned his cloak and sat on the mattress to lace up his boots. He turned and grabbed her hand. “Try not to move too much, It’ll only hurt your head worse. I’ll be back as fast as I can. I promise.” He gave her hand a tight squeeze and then left. 

Rey slumped against her mattress. A small part of her told her she still needed to run but she quieted it. Kylo had been acting fairly normal, kinder even, so there was no need to run. She could talk to him, she could do it. Even though right now the thought of talking sounded extremely overwhelming.

Perhaps just getting some food and water inside of her would help calm the uneasiness in her stomach. 

Kylo wasn’t gone long, like he had promised. He placed his satchel on the table and unloaded way more food than he normally ever bought. He placed a bit of everything on a plate and filled a mug with water and brought them both over to her.

He placed a hand behind her back and helped her sit up against the wall. He offered the plate to her and she looked up at him, bemused. “What’s with all the food?” 

He ducked his head and scratched the back of his neck. “Well, um, you liked to eat a lot of different foods, so, I thought, uh that you’d like to try some that maybe we hadn’t eaten yet.”

“You know I liked to do that as a boy too right?” Rey Pointed out.

“Well, that was when you were a boy.” He said sheepishly as he turned to sit next to her against the wall, close, but far enough away that they weren’t touching. Rey just giggled and tucked in. He had gotten a variety of breakfast meats and pastries, and even some fruit. She never thought it would be, but it was so relieving to be able to act like a girl. Just the act of giggling felt so freeing, as weird as that seemed.

She looked up from her plate and caught him staring at her with a small smile on his face. A blush crept into his cheeks and he quickly grabbed the cup of water and held it out to her. “You’ll need to drink a lot of water, to help displace the alcohol.”

“You seem to know a lot about hangovers.” Rey said slyly, but smiling all the same.

“Oh... uh yeah.” He awkwardly rubbed his hands together after he handed her the cup. “I— I’ll tell you about that... later.”

She looked up at him through her lashes while she drank from the cup, looking to see if he meant what he said. About later. He seemed sincere, if anything just embarrassed. Would there really be a later for them? Could she dare hope and think about the future? He must have seen her expression darken because he cocked his head and gave her a puzzled look. She coughed awkwardly.

“It’s just... you said... later, as in— you’re not going to...uh...” Rey tried while slowly lowering her cup. He looked concerned until he realized what she was trying to say. He snaked his arm between her and the wall and put one of his hands on the back of her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair. He rubbed his thumb along her jawline.

“Rey, I am not going to send you away. I would never even dream of it.” His eyes bored into hers with such intensity that she didn’t know what to say. He wanted her, he wanted her to stay. They could keep working together, to help people...

“Work!” She jumped up sending the cup on the ground next to her skidding across the floor. She raced over to her boots that Kylo must have removed from her feet last night. “I’m going to be so late, oh no they’re not going to let me back!” She was about to put them on when she felt Kylo’s hand on her arm pulling her around.

“Rey, it’s alright. It’s too late anyway and you’re feeling sick. Just explain tomorrow that you were unwell and I’m sure they’ll ask you back. Just stay.” He looked into her eyes, “please.”

The look on his face told her that the reasons he gave her for staying weren’t necessarily the only ones. She looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to elaborate. He sighed.

“I can’t let you go. Not now. Now that I’ve finally found you.” His eyes were so full of... something. Rey didn’t want to think about it. Not yet, not until she was sure.

“What do you mean? Kylo... Ben... what do I even call you?” She asked, exasperated. 

“I guess...” He gave an intense sigh, “maybe I should tell you about who I am.” He winced. Rey was confused.

“What do you mean? You didn't just use a fake name?” Rey asked, puzzled.

“Uh, no. Rey... I— uh this is— Rey, I lied to you.” He looked like he was in physical pain.

“Kylo,” She stepped forward into his space, a little more comfortable now that he had done it multiple times. “I lied too.” She looked up at him, her neck craned steeply, he was just so tall. “We both have a lot of explaining to do.” He looked a little less stressed now. “But first, I really need to clean up.” She noticed that her tunic and trousers were splattered with dried mud and she assumed it was in her hair and on her face as well.

He smiled at her and laughed, one of the brightest she’d heard since she had met him as Ben. “You really do. Did you purposefully roll around in the mud last night?” At that she whacked him in the chest and he just laughed harder.

“I was not that drunk! It was just raining really hard!” She yelled indignantly, trying not to give in to his infectious laughter and failing.

“Yes you were! I have no doubt in my mind you fell into at least two puddles on your way home.”

“Ben!” She tried to hit him again and he dodged.

“I’m just saying when you got home you tried to pack your things and more of your stuff ended up out of your bag than in!” He was full on cackling now, and weaving and dodging as Rey tried to catch up to him to whack him in the chest. 

“That did not happen! Ben, get back here!” She was smiling so big her cheeks hurt as she stumbled around trying to catch him.

“Oh yes it did! And when you came home you were so drunk you fell into my chest and then felt me up.” His eyes were full of mirth as he ran around the barn dodging out of Rey’s half hearted swings.

“I did not!” She squawked indignantly. She felt her cheeks flush brightly, giving her away. He just cackled harder, tears just about streaming down his face. She lunged for him but instead of dodging he turned and caught her head on, swinging her around and holding her tight. He pulled his head back to look at her but kept his arms locked around her.

“You, my dear, do not hold your alcohol well.” He smiled and shook his head, and she rolled her eyes at him. He paused and his eyes flicked down to her lips. His tongue darted out to lick his bottom lip and Rey smiled. 

“Let me go get cleaned up.” She grinned up at him. He looked disappointed for a moment but it morphed into a small smile. He let her go and she walked over to her things and gathered up a change of clothes. 

The barn did not have a room for a chamber pot so when she and Kylo first got there they had dug a hole for an outhouse on the backside of the building. They built walls and a roof around it and attached it to the barn so they wouldn’t have to walk out in the rain to use it. 

Inside they had placed a stool with a bucket of water, and she had found a small mirror and had fastened it to the wall. She looked into it and groaned. She looked like she had gotten into a fight with a raccoon. Her hair was caked with mud and sticking up at weird angles, except for the strands in front which Ben had brushed with his fingers last night. 

There were patches of dirt on her face and neck and her trousers were almost completely brown when they were supposed to be tan. Her tunic was mostly unscathed, thanks to her cloak. She stripped and changed and walked out with her dirty clothes in hand.

He was eating her leftovers from breakfast and she smiled. “I’m going to go to the river to wash these.” He jumped up from the table.

“I’ll come with you.” He raced over to his boots and started to lace them up. They left together, walking side by side through the woods. The storm had slowed to a stop last night and today dawned a rare sunny day for Kamino, especially when it was nearing winter. 

Rey hummed to herself and Kylo glanced sideways at her. “I just missed the sun is all. Technically I am a desert dweller.” She told him. He raised his eyebrows. “I guess I’ll have to tell you more about that later. But you first.” She told him and he looked at her indignantly. 

“How come I have to go first!” He whined like a child.

“Because you said you would. Now, Kylo... Ben, which one do I use?” She asked.

“Well, my real name is Ben.” He glanced at her and she just looked at him, waiting for his explanation. He sighed. “My full name is... Benjamin Organa Solo.” He winced waiting for a reaction but Rey just stared at him blankly. The name Organa sort of sounded familiar but she couldn’t place it. Was his family famous merchants or something? Maybe that was it. 

He seemed confused by her reaction so she spoke, “Am I supposed to know who you are?”

He looked extremely perturbed and then relief washed over his face. “No, I suppose not.” He shrugged and he walked with a little more bounce in his step. Rey was confused but shrugged it off.

“My family... we didn’t really get along. They wanted to send me to another place to become a squire, but it wasn’t legitimate. I never would become a knight and that’s all they had wanted for me for so long. If I was going to become a knight I wanted to do it right so I left home for the academy without telling them.”

“My mentor suggested I change my name to shake the chains of their legacy and forge my own path. So I did. I became Kylo Ren.” He finished his story and waited for her reaction. She rubbed her chin in mock deep thought.

“Hmm, Kylo is a cool name, but I also like Ben because that’s how I first knew you. And I kind of like that I’m the only one who gets to call you that. How about when we’re alone I call you Ben and when we’re out I’ll call you Kylo.” She looked up at him and he beamed at her. She took that as a yes. “So, Ben, you were obviously Kylo when we met, so why did you tell me your name was Ben?”

“Well, it was kind of an accident actually.” He said sheepishly. They reached the river and she knelt down along the mossy bank and dipped her trousers in the dark water and started to scrub them. Ben grabbed her cloak and followed suit. She gave him a look to continue. He pretended to be engrossed in his washing, not wanting to finish. She continued to stare until he gave up.

“You just caught me off guard.” He mumbled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked, perturbed. His shoulders dropped and he looked resigned.

“I’ll just, start from the beginning, I guess. Remember how I said I saw you talking animatedly about sword play?” He asked her while scrubbing the hood of her cloak, avoiding looking her in the eye. 

“Oh... yeah you did say that.” She said, using a rock to get out some of the mud stains.

“Well, I actually heard you first. I was walking around the festival with a hood on so no one would recognize me. I passed behind you and heard you talking about the feint and spin combination that someone had used and that you wanted to practice it when you got home. It caught me off guard and I spun around and only saw your three buns as you were walking away. You were gesturing wildly with your arms and I wanted to know who you were.”

“Why?” She looked at him, and he blushed. She held up her trousers, satisfied with her job, and laid them down on a rock to dry and reached for her stockings.

“They way you talked about it, and you said you wanted to practice it. I was intrigued. But I lost you in the crowd. Until the joust.” He finished scrubbing her cloak and he grabbed the tunic which wasn’t really muddy but still dirty.

“I was watching on the side of the ring when I saw a girl in the noble stands jumping up and cheering. You turned your head and I saw your hair and I knew it was you. I watched you the whole joust. You were gesturing with your hands again and I knew you were analyzing moves and styles.”

“I wanted to find out who you were so I decided to attend the masque that night to find you. I hadn’t been to a ball in years.” He said. Rey snorted. He looked at her quizzically. “What?”

“When I was a first year squire I saw you at a ball at midwinter in Coruscant. Girls were tripping over themselves to talk to you, even literally tripping into you to catch your attention.” She smiled deviously at the memory. “You actually shoved one girl off of you and she almost fell. I couldn’t keep from laughing and watched as more girls came onto you and you eventually ran away like a scared puppy. I laughed about it all night.” She chuckled and Ben scowled. 

“That’s why I never went in the first place. Can’t bloody walk anywhere without getting handkerchiefs thrown in my face.” He paused and looked down at her and said softly, “I only went to that one to find you.” She smirked at him.

“Too bad I was a boy. You didn’t stand a chance.” She said. He laughed and shook his head.

“I suppose not. You know I expect you to explain all this to me.” He said seriously. She waved him off.

“I will, I will. Now continue.” She finished the stockings, placed them on the rock with her trousers and leaned against the grass, positioning her face toward the sun and closing her eyes.

“Mmm. Well, thankfully it was a masque so I could conduct my search in peace. I walked all around until I spotted you chatting with a young man. He bowed to you and I assumed he asked you to dance and I was angry, but it seemed you said no so I waited. You talked for a little while and then he left. I made my way behind you so I could ask you to dance.”

He paused and she looked over at him and amusement glinted in his eyes. “And then I saw your plate and how much you enjoyed food and I couldn’t help myself to poke fun at you.”

She stuck her tongue out at him and he just laughed. “You rose to the challenge wonderfully. I think I had more fun bantering with you that night than I had in the last five years as a knight.” She couldn’t help but smile at that. “You were so snarky and as you left you saluted me as a joke and every time I thought about it I couldn’t stop laughing. You left so quickly and I didn't know anything about you.”

“I looked for you all over the festival for the next few days. I even attended the other balls without a disguise and braved the gaggles of courtesans. But you disappeared. I didn’t see you again until Midwinter at the masque in Coruscant...” Realization seemed to dawn on him. “Weren’t you a squire at the time?” 

It was her time to blush, “Well, yes.”

He had already finished his washing and crossed his arms to look down at her. “I think it’s your time for some explaining.” Rey nodded her head.

“Yes I guess so. I told you last night that I lied about my nobility. I grew up as an orphan girl in Jakku, and as I got older it got more dangerous. I decided that being a boy would be safer, so I ran, cut my hair, and traveled from town to town picking up odd jobs to survive. I slept in abandoned barns and trees.” 

He looked concerned but she ignored him and pressed on. “I did that for two years when I took a job with a woman named Maz in Takodana. She hired me on to stay for a few weeks on account of her husband’s leg being broken. I ended up staying there a couple of months and Maz figured it out when... uh she figured out I was a girl.” Rey blushed and hurried on.

“They asked me to stay, so I did. I lived with them for two years. Unfortunately everyone knew me as a boy still so we made a plan to switch at midsummer. I went there and the day you saw me was the first time I had ever worn a dress or had to act like a lady.” She told him and he snorted. She glared at him and he coughed. 

“Sorry, just looking back it’s pretty obvious. No wonder you kept tripping on your dress.” He laughed. She leaned over to elbow him in the ribs but he caught her arm and pulled her into him, turning her around and pulling her back flush to his chest so she was leaning against him and he was leaning against a boulder. He put his arm around her shoulders and she sank into his embrace.

“But that day at the tournament, I wanted to participate so badly. And then I saw you joust.” He angled his head to look at her and she avoided his gaze. “It was mesmerizing. I actually tried to copy your standing maneuver. I did it successfully a few times.” He looked at her impressed and then cringed.

“I didn’t even win all three that time.” He said glumly. “You were too distracting. I lost the second one because I kept trying to sneak glances at you to see if you were watching me. And then I saw you cheer for Dameron and it was over for him.” He said darkly. Rey laughed and shook her head. 

“Anyway, after watching the tournaments I wanted nothing more than to continue to be a boy and become a squire. I convinced Maz and Chewie to let me and they agreed. We forged some documents, created a story so I was their nephew and I left for Coruscant.” Ben had stilled underneath her but soon relaxed. 

“Well that explains why you disappeared on me. I thought you were actively trying to avoid me.” He squeezed her shoulders a little tighter.

“Well, maybe I was at first,” She said and Ben huffed, offended and Rey quickly added, “but after the second time we met, it was the only time I doubted my decision to become a knight.”

Ben made a small choking sound but quickly recovered. “How did that night happen anyway? You saw me the night before but as a boy.” He asked.

“Only two other people know who I really am besides my guardians. Finn, my roommate from the academy, and Rose, a friend I made at that first ball. After talking I knew I could trust her. The next day she convinced me to go to the masque as a girl. She was convinced I would regret missing out on certain— womanly experiences such as a first dance with a boy. I actually laughed at her in the moment but...” She looked up at him. “She was right.” 

He looked down at her intently and she turned her head forward again, perhaps a little too quickly. “I had to wear a hood to hide my short hair. You almost knocked it over when— well, that’s why Rose grabbed me. After that I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I knew nothing could ever happen because of my decision so I stopped going to any balls to avoid seeing you. It hurt too much to think about not being able to have you, and if I had gone and seen you with a betrothed... or a wife. It would have killed me. I was sure you would have forgotten about me.”

“Rey.” He said softly. He lifted her forward so he could look into her eyes. “I could never have forgotten you, no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get you out of my head.” He looked down and pulled something out of his pocket. He grabbed her hand and she felt him place something soft in it. She looked down and saw the scrap of fabric that she had ripped from Rose’s underskirts. She looked up at him.

“You kept it?” She whispered, peering up at him unwittingly batting her lashes.

“I’ve brought it with me everywhere. I kept it close during every joust. Rey, every time I went to Coruscant or Hosnian Prime I went to every festival hoping to find you. I was afraid you had gotten married or something. I went out of my mind thinking about that.”

“I was sure you’d be married by the time I was knighted.” She whispered self consciously. 

“You thought about me that way?” He asked eagerly. She nodded and his smile widened. 

“How are you not married anyway? Aren’t you twenty seven now?” She asked and his mood darkened.

“I am. A lot of people tried to get me into marriages for alliances. Snoke however discouraged me from relationships as it would distract me from my goals. He told me to find pleasure with strangers if I needed it.” He spat it out and looked at Rey and saw the crestfallen look on her face.

“Rey, I never, ever have been with or even thought about anyone but you. I don’t know what you did, but somehow you rooted yourself into my heart and to remove it now would kill me. I almost went crazy thinking I would never see you again. Please, believe me.” He reached out and brushed her top lip with the pad of his thumb. He leaned forward and Rey’s breathing sped up slightly.

“Rey, I know this is crazy, and it’s so soon, and things are crazy... but... I—Rey, I—“

“Ben...” She whispered, he stopped and looked at her, desire blowing his pupils wide. “I feel it too.” 

Ever so slowly he put his fingers underneath her chin and lifted it so she was inches from his face. His eyes darted back and forth, looking for something... want, permission. He must have found it because he slowly ducked his head until his beautifully pink lips brushed against hers. It was soft and tentative and sweet and slow. He lifted off of her carefully, slowly until he could look her in the eyes, still close enough that their noses were almost touching.

She reached out and touched his cheek with her fingers. He smiled and it was the biggest one she had ever seen on him. It showed his crooked teeth and she even spotted some dimples she had never seen before. It was endearing and lovely and she wanted to see it again immediately. Warmth blossomed in her stomach and it felt like a flock of butterflies were trapped inside, waiting to fly out and into the open air. She giggled. Like a silly little girl but she couldn’t bring herself to care.

She threw her arms around his neck and crushed her lips to his. He was shocked at first but quickly recovered, snaking his arms around her waist and he pulled her close, deepening the kiss. He smiled against her lips but he didn’t stop, and she didn’t want him to. She sighed into his mouth and that only made him hold her tighter. She didn’t know she could ever feel this happy in her entire life.


	16. Chapter 16

They walked back to the barn hand in hand a while later, Ben holding her clothes that were almost dry. Rey suggested they head to the pub to grab some supper but Ben was loath to do anything but hold her close and stroke her hair as they talked sitting on her bed. He still hadn’t moved his bed from next to hers and she assumed he wouldn’t as he just pushed it right up against hers when they arrived back at the barn. 

She couldn’t complain. They ate the leftovers from that morning and told each other more stories about their lives.

She thought back to when she had asked her friends about dances, looking for news about Ben and hearing about Kylo and the scandal it started when he had worn her token for the first time. She told him about it and he laughed. “I actually saw a few ladies fake crying when I walked by. My friend Hux said as soon as I left they resumed flirting with whoever came by.”

“That’s awful!” Rey exclaimed.

Ben shrugged. “I got used to it. Girls only wanted to talk to me for my title.” Rey squeezed him a little tighter.

“I’m sorry Ben. You didn’t deserve that.”

“It doesn’t matter. All that happened to me... it led me to you.”

They stayed up late talking, falling asleep in each other’s arms, like she had dreamed of doing so many times before.

*

When Rey woke up she couldn’t move. Ben’s arm was slung tight over her waist and his other hand was tangled in her hair. His face was buried in her neck and his breathing tickled her, making the downy hairs there flutter. One of his legs was wrapped in both of hers. 

The sun wasn’t quite out yet and the rain seemed to have returned. It beat lazily against the roof and Rey snuggled a little closer into Ben. She wished she could stay like this all day but she had to get to the shipping yard. 

She carefully lifted his arm from off of her waist and untangled his leg from hers. She rolled to stand and walked around looking for her working tunic and trousers. She looked back at him and noted that he was still asleep, so she stripped her sleeping tunic off to change it.

“You can just stay like that.” Rey yelped and spun around, bringing up the tunic to cover her torso. She realized she was still wearing her breast-band but even Finn hadn’t ever seen her so immodest. Ben was smirking at her lazily. 

“Ben!” She scrambled to put her tunic on as he laughed. 

“Where are you going?” He asked as he sat up, brushing the hair out of his eyes.

“The shipping yard. I have a job, remember?” She laughed to herself, sitting down to lace up her boots. He scrambled out of bed and over to her, almost tripping over his own feet.

“Rey, you can’t go back there!” He exclaimed.

“Why not?” She asked, pausing to look up at him.

“Well, it’s the Hutts, they’re dangerous, you shouldn't go back there anymore.” He said seriously. Rey finished lacing up her boots and stood up, shaking her head.

“You didn’t mind me going when I was a boy.” She said crossing her arms and cocking her hip looking at him with an eyebrow raised.

“Well... it was... different...” Ben mumbled.

“Ben,” She walked forward swaying her hips slightly and leaning into him closely, placing her hands on his chest and looking up at him, “I am only going to tell you this once and then I won’t hear it again. I am just as capable today as I was two days ago. Do NOT treat me like I don’t know what I’m doing. Okay?” 

His eyes were blown wide and he was standing stock still. She repeated herself, “Okay?” He nodded as a blush crept over his cheeks. “Good.” She gave his chest a small pat and then pushed him off of her.

She donned her cloak and stepped towards the door after strapping her knife to her waist.

“I think you should stop by Club Tipoca today. The owner, Lama Su is the last wealthy investor that the Hutts have yet to make a deal with. See if you can convince him otherwise, hmm?” She winked at him and left him standing there, Ben still trying to blubber out a response.

*

Both she and Ben received important information that day. At the shipping yard the foreman hinted that the work would soon dry up, but if they wished to continue in their employment they could head to Scarif and ask for them there.

Ben had gone to the club but didn’t enter it on account of seeing some Hutts already there. He tailed them after their meeting, learning that Lama Su wasn’t convinced and required more negotiations which would take place at Midwinter. 

However, from what he heard, the Hutts believed they didn't even need Lama Su. They were planning to proceed without him, sending the operation to Scarif right after the Midwinter festival.

After consulting with Phasma they decided to give up on taking Kamino and head straight to Scarif to discover the weapons warehouses and take them in secret or sabotage them. Phasma decided to stay behind until after the festivals and Ben and Rey departed that evening for Scarif.

The ride was not too long of a distance, but there were many lakes to go around and then they had to descend from the high altitude of Kamino to sea level. The weather changed dramatically as they rode their way down, the cold misty rains turning into hot, muggy air with the scorching sun beating down on their backs. 

After a night and day of riding, they arrived late at night at the borders of the city. They stood atop a hill that overlooked the seaside port town, glimmering with lights in the darkness. 

“We shouldn’t go in right away, not while it's dark. I saw a cave back there.” He motioned towards the next hill. “We’ll sleep there tonight and look for better lodging tomorrow.” Ben pulled on his reins turning Silencer around. Rey nodded and followed.

Ben slapped at his skin a few times and Rey looked at him puzzled. He then hit himself in the forehead and let out a guttural yell. 

“Ben, what’s wrong?” Rey asked, worried.

“These—argh! Stupid bugs!” He smacked himself again and Rey let out a huge snort. She trotted over to him, grabbing his reins and leading his horse forward.

“Come on you.” She said with a sly grin.

“This is,” slap “not,” slap “funny!” Ben sounded hysterical.

“Well it is just a little bit.” Rey giggled as she watched Ben look around wildly like a ghost was attacking him and he saw her laughing and glared at her. They reached the cave and he jumped off his horse and strode over to hers, a dark look on his face. He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off of BB and placed her over his shoulder. He started to walk towards the cave and she squawked, kicking her legs wildly, trying to get down. 

“I’ll teach you to laugh at me.” He growled as he clamped her legs down with his other arm.

“Let go of me you big oaf!” She squealed.

“I’ll show you big.” He muttered dangerously and Rey gasped.

“Benjamin!” She shrieked. He started laughing and slowly put her down and she looked at him with mock outrage. He just laughed and left her to go tie up Silencer and BB. She stared at him as he walked around, especially watching the way his bottom looked in his trousers.

It was too hot for cloaks and he had donned a short tunic that tucked into his pants and it showed off his ass wonderfully.

“Kanata.” Rey’s eyes shot up and he was watching her ogle him amusedly. “We’ve got work to do.” She mentally berated herself and put her head down, walking towards their gear.

“Yes, right, sorry.” She grabbed their packs and ran into the cave, realizing it was too dark and exited again to find some kindling. He just laughed as he watched her start a fire while he rolled out their bedrolls next to each other, killing any questions she had about whether he wanted to sleep with her again. She didn’t mind.

“It’s too hot Rey, I can’t sleep with a fire, you, and this tunic.” He said matter of factly, fingering the fabric of his shirt. Rey started to grow hot under her collar in a way that had nothing to do with the weather.

“I... um... yeah, that’s fine.” She sputtered watching him with wide eyes as he grabbed the back of his tunic and pulled it up over his head, revealing his expansive chest. She almost gulped audibly. She had never been this close with anybody, and didn’t know what was proper and what wasn’t. She would figure that out later.

She shook her head and fell onto her bedroll, splaying out her limbs. “Ben, I’m so tired. I don’t want to move ever again.” She complained. He laid down next to her, turning her until she faced him and held her face in his hands

“Rest, Rey. We’ll come up with a plan in the morning.” He kissed her on the forehead and then turned her around, gathering her up in his arms for another night of deep, dreamless sleep.

*

Rey had never seen so many beautiful colors in the heavens all at once. The stretch of sky that pushed up against the ocean was a deep purple, still riddled with a few stars fading rapidly. It gradually lightened to a beautiful lavender the higher it went, then turning into a soft pink and stopped at the brightest baby blue. The orange and golden sun peeked up over the water, casting a golden peach glow on the clouds that shot out from the fiery orb like a sunburst. 

She inhaled deeply, breathing in the fresh, sea-cooled air. Her impossible and ridiculous life had turned upside down seemingly overnight. She was with, and had been with for months, the only man she had ever dreamed about, and he wanted her in return, lies and all. Not once had he questioned her on her decision or her ability to do it. He had only ever questioned why she had left him.

But how could she have trusted him then to tell him. Would he have trusted her before he had known what she was capable of? She wondered how he would have reacted if she had told him her plans when she was Kira. Would he have laughed at her, calling her crazy? Would he have told her that girls weren’t capable of such things?

But maybe he wouldn’t have. He worked often with and had a deep respect for Phasma. Perhaps he would have supported her. But it did not do to dwell on what ifs. She needed to decide what her future held.

She wanted to be with Ben. They could be together as Knight and squire but also as— lovers? Companions? But what about when she becomes a knight? Then she will be under the command of Snoke and he will dictate wherever she goes. Does Ben have enough sway to let her stay with him? 

But just the thought of fighting for Snoke sickens her. Before their night of revelations and truth, that’s what they had fought about. That’s why she had run away. That hadn’t just gone away from her mind, just pushed back a little. She did want to help the people of Scarif. She knew the Hutts were bad and they needed to be stopped. But after that?

If becoming a knight meant being under Snoke’s thumb, she wanted no part in it. Maybe she could convince Ben to run away with her. But as she thought it, she knew he wouldn’t. He trusted Snoke and believed in the Empire.

She sighed and gazed out on the sky as it slowly changed colors, brightening the ocean below into a brilliant blue. Tall trees with huge green leaves, but only on the top, swayed in the morning breeze and birds of all colors started to swoop in and out of the tall fronds. 

She had never seen a place like this before. It was magical. She heard footsteps behind her and then thick arms laced around her shoulders pulling her in close. Ben kissed her temple and whispered in her ear.

“Why didn’t you wake me sweetheart?”

“I needed to think.” Rey sighed and continued to stare at the sunrise. Ben stared too, and they sat in silence as their breaths synchronized together, and the world around them slowed. He waited for her to explain, leaving the option open to her. After a few more moments of silence, she spoke up.

“Ben, I can’t fight for Snoke.” She felt him stiffen and before he could say anything she pressed on. “I want to help fight the Hutts and I will. But afterwards, I just don’t know. I don’t trust him, I don’t believe that what he’s doing is right.” 

Ben dropped his head onto her shoulder but didn't say anything. She continued, “But, let’s not worry about it now okay? We need to find their munitions house so we can stop them. If we can snake their means of fighting out from under them, then we have a chance.”

Ben picked up his head and rested his chin on her shoulder. “How did you fancy your last employment?” He asked her.

“Oh, it was quite lovely, I think I’d like to do it again.” She smiled at him and he grinned back.

“Then I think we should get you your job back sweetie.” 

*

It took a few days to locate a suitable dwelling, but eventually they stumbled upon a seaside shack a little down the south shore, nestled in a secluded bay. Rey was glad to leave the cave, and happily moved their things into the one roomed hut, even if the roof was caving in and the front steps had holes in them. 

They spent their third morning in Scarif setting up the shack and trying to repair the thing with what they could find. Palm fronds were used to patch the roof and she put boulders underneath the steps to fill in the holes. It was rough but it worked for now.

Around midday Rey plopped down on the sand with a grunt, too tired to move. Ben stripped off his tunic and ran out into the surf. The water around him sparkled in the bright sunlight and reflected off of his chest wonderfully. Small wave after wave crashed into his chest, sending droplets and white wash flying in all directions, lit up by the blistering sun overhead. 

He dipped his head in the water and then jerked it back, his hair whipping to the side, sending water flying all around. Rey stared at him as he moved through the water, mesmerized by his body. He turned to look at her and waved at her to join him. She just shook her head.

He ran back out onto the sand and tried to pull her up by her arm. “Come swim with me.” He said as she resisted his pull.

“I can’t.” She said, trying to hide her embarrassment. He stopped pulling and kneeled between her outstretched legs.

“What do you mean you can’t?” He asked gruffly. 

“I— I can’t swim.” She dropped her head, annoyed that she couldn’t do something that most others could. She always avoided it while at the academy. It was necessary anyway on account of her chest. He ducked his head to look her in the eyes and grinned.

“I taught you to dance, I can teach you to swim.” And with no other argument he scooped her up and carried her over to the water.

“Ben, no!” She tried to wrestle herself out of his arms with no luck. He just trudged through the water, taking her deeper and deeper until his chest and her entire body besides her head and shoulders was submerged. She clung to him like a frightened cat, too terrified to let go.

“Rey, relax, I’ve got you.” He whispered in her ear. He moved his arm up to position it behind her neck and guided her to lay down in the water. She lowered her body carefully, straightening out oh so slowly, constantly making sure his arms were underneath her. 

She lay there for a while, closing her eyes against the harsh sun, her body bobbing up and down lazily in the surf. It really did feel nice, being surrounded by this much water. It was cool against her skin and it helped to relax her muscles and her mind. She breathed in deeply and let out an audible exhale.

“It’s my birthday you know.” She said quietly, stating a fact more than anything. Ben stiffened and then suddenly she was being hoisted up in his arms. “Wha— ah!” She tried to cling to him again but her tunic was wet and sticking to her everywhere and it was hard to maneuver around it.

She finally managed to throw her arms around his neck and he positioned her legs around his waist so she was half in the water. He looked up at her with a smile. “You’re eighteen today, aren’t you?”

“Yup.” She said, popping the p. 

“Happy Birthday Rey.” He said softly, staring up at her, she grinned and he lowered her slightly to kiss her sweetly. His sweet kiss soon turned heated and before she knew it she was wrapped around him like some kind of vine, clawing at every inch of skin she could reach while he kissed her fiercely, his tongue ravishing her mouth. 

He reached around for her tunic and stripped it off of her, throwing it far enough that it landed almost on the shore. She was straddled around his waist in just her breast band and her entire body felt aflame, whether from embarrassment for some misplaced sense of modesty, or because her body ached for him, she did not know.

He sucked her tongue into his mouth and she practically whimpered, crumbling in his arms. The sound spurred him on and soon he was biting and sucking at every bit of skin he could reach. He sucked in her bottom lip, bit at her ear lobe, ran his tongue along her collarbone. 

She whined and moaned and squirmed in his arms, her hips undulating slightly, spurred on by his ceaseless passion. He was groaning beneath her and she knew if they didn’t stop now, they wouldn’t get anything done today.

“Ben,” He didn’t stop sucking a bruise into her neck. “Ben.” She said a little more forceful, gripping his hair in her hand and hoisting it up. He looked at her and his eyes were a little glazed over. “I have to go to the docks.” She said, sorry that she even had to say the words. He frowned but let her go.

“Fine. But we’re celebrating your birthday tonight. We’ll go into town and find a food we’ve never tried before.” He grinned at her proudly and she smiled back.

“That sounds perfect.” She hugged him fiercely and he carried her back through the water and onto shore, only letting her down once they’d reached their new home. 

*

After Rey showed the dock workers her references from the Kamino shipping yards, she was quickly given a job and started work at the Manda Merchant dock. She loaded and unpacked shipping crates for the Manda Merchant Run, a faction of the Hutt clan’s shipping ventures. 

She only figured this out by ‘accidentally’ happening past the dock proprietor’s unattended paperwork while he was in a very important meeting with a woman that had been paid very handsomely by Rey. 

She also discovered some anomalies in the paperwork, shipments of munitions and supplies that seemed to come out of nowhere. There was no origin, just the profits from the sales. Ben investigated by visiting different docks on the premise that he was looking for work.

Phasma rode in from Scarif to inform them that the Hutts had succeeded early in their negotiations with Lama Su and would be transitioning to Scarif within the next few day cycles to attend Midwinter here. She told them to be on the lookout for increased activity. She left immediately and promised to be back in a few days.

She was right. At the docks, Rey overheard two taskmasters talking about the Areca docks, which are owned and used by Areca nut farmers. The Hutts would have no business there normally, so Rey found Ben and they agreed to stake out the docks for the next few nights.

They made their way to the dock at dusk and hid underneath the planks, squatting on the sand, where they could not be seen but could hear everything. All was quiet except for a few sailors patrolling the decks. 

“This chain mail is so hot.” Ben complained as he pulled at the neck of his armor. 

“We cut it too close last time. I won’t have anyone slicing your neck.” She told him and added, “besides it’ll keep the bugs off.” She smirked at him. He looked at her, growled, and pounced, tackling her to the sand.

“Ben! Get— oof!” He pinned her to the ground and grabbed her hands in his, lowering his mouth to her ear and whispered,

“You have to be quiet Rey, or they’ll hear you.” He whispered seductively. He kneed her legs apart and settled his hips against hers, grinding them into her. She moaned at the contact and his grin was wolffish. 

“Ben, get off!” She hissed at him but that did nothing to deter him, neither did her hands moving to card through his locks to push his shoulders down into her. He lowered his lips to her neck and sucked at a spot beneath her jawline, continually thrusting into her. She moaned again and his hand that had been next to her head found her waist and slowly started inching upwards. 

“You a bastard, y’know that?” Came a deep voice from up above them.

Ben jumped off of Rey and they both scrambled to their feet, trying to make as little noise as possible. They heard enough scuffling to be the footsteps of maybe eight people. 

“Well you a—“

“Oi! Shut it, you two.” A firm voice hissed. “We’re here, now get it together.” The footsteps were quickly traveling up the dock and soon they’d pass the waterline and be out of earshot. “Dud Bolt, Elan, guard the entrance so no one escapes.”

Ben and Rey shared a look and sprinted up the sand. She easily outran Ben, the feeling of running in sand very much present in her muscle memory. She would have laughed at him if she wasn’t sure they were about to stop a massacre.

She whisper yelled back at him, “I assume the plan is just... attack?”

“Yes!” He quietly yelled back and she rounded the corner, boarded the dock and sprinted along the bridge towards the extended plank of the ship. She distantly heard Ben’s running footsteps a few strides behind her.

She pulled out her staff and the two guards spotted her emerging from the dark just as she jumped. They scrambled for their knives but before the first one could get it out she had jumped onto the side railing and leapt off of it, planting her foot into one of the men’s faces, his whole body turning and dropping onto the dock with a thump. 

She spun her staff and whacked the other man in the side just as Ben ran up. Both men were on the ground, whimpering in pain. He looked at her with a mildly annoyed expression.

“You didn’t leave any for me.” He said, pouting. 

“Oh, there’s more on the ship you big baby.” She retorted and just then they heard a yell from above. Ben pushed past her and sprinted up the gangplank with Rey hot on his heels. They burst onto the deck to see a small crowd gathered against what they assumed were six more of the Hutts. 

The one front and center was gripping an older man around his shoulders with a knife pressed into his side. The captured man’s clothes were ratty and he was starting to cry. Rey bristled and brandished her staff menacingly. That just made the Hutt man laugh.

“Who’re you?” He sneered. “Get off this ship, before you end up like this bloke.” He pointed the knife deeper into the man’s side and he whimpered. Rey had had enough of these types of men. She dealt with them every day. Crude, mean, and extremely nasty and unpleasant to anyone they interacted with. 

“Let him go and we can talk.” Rey spoke evenly, hoping to calm the sailors onboard.

“Or what?” The man asked angrily.

Ben chuckled, “You really don’t want to know, mate.” The man just scoffed.

“Toht Ra, Malkili, kill them.” The two largest Hutt men ambled towards them, swords already drawn, with menacing smiles on their pudgy and scarred faces. She looked at Ben and he gave her a small grin. He turned back to the leader and spun his sword theatrically in his hand.

“Last chance.” He called. The men didn’t stop their slow advance, the crowd of shabbily clad onlookers wary and nervous. He whispered to Rey in a low growl that did not make her shiver, “Lead the gangsters towards the bow so the sailors can escape.” She nodded to him and he charged.

With a yell that tore through the silence of the night, Ben lunged forward, plunging his sword into the leg of one of the on-comers before he could even raise his own weapon. His cry of pain was gut wrenching and was the sole focus of the other man who stared at him wide eyed horror, realizing too late that Ben had spun on him, and he punched him in the face.

The man fell to the ground and Ben straightened up, sheathing his sword. “Now would you like to talk?” He asked. The sailors were murmuring to themselves and the Hutts were looking increasingly nervous.

“Wait, where are Elan and Dud? Elan! Dud!” The leader yelled down below.

Rey smirked at him. “They’re a little busy right now.” He growled at her and before they could do anything he plunged the knife he was holding into the older man’s side. The old sailor wailed in pain and Rey bared her teeth at the man and sprang for him. 

The Hutt leader pushed the old man onto the ground and ran at Rey. He jumped at her, brandishing her knife and she swatted it away with her staff. He took another shot at her side and she blocked it with an underhanded strike.

They traded blows as Rey slowly walked him away from the man on the ground, who was crying in pain. Ben ran at the three other Hutts, one of them falling back to help the leader fight Rey. She tightened her grip on her staff as the second man joined in the attack.

A fleeting memory came to her, one of smiling in the sunshine, watching Snap and Kallus, sweating profusely, trying their hardest but failing to overcome her. She looked at the two oaf-like men and smiled to herself, doubling her attacks. She needed to get rid of the second man first, as he was weaker. She looked up to see a myriad of ropes hanging from the mast and got an interesting idea.

She gripped her staff horizontally and pushed both of the men back, and then ran in a wide arc away from them. They both laughed and mocked her.

“Can’t handle us shrimpy?” The leader called and she just smiled to herself. She rounded back towards them, grabbed a rope, wrapped it around her forearm and wrist and then launched herself forwards, swinging through the air. She brought her legs up and slammed her feet into the chest of the second man, sending him stumbling back and tripping over some buckets on the deck, falling hard on his back.

She swung back and let go of the rope, grinning at the leader. She jumped forward, feinting to the left and then swinging back around to hit him upside the head on his right side. He stumbled back and she kicked him hard in the stomach sending him crashing to the ground.

She looked around, saw some unused rope lying in a pile and brought it over to tie him to the mast. She then dragged the other man and tied him up too. She looked back to see Ben was tying up the other thugs and the crowd of sailors were surrounding the man on the ground. 

He was sitting up while someone had some rags pressed to his side, staunching the blood. He looked pale and stricken, but otherwise he was okay. She walked over to him and crouched down.

“Will you be alright?” She asked him gently.

“Who are you?” He asked, a small amount of fear shown on his face. She was about to respond that they were knights of the Empire, but decided against it.

“Just someone who wants to help. I have no love for the Hutts.” She looked at him and he nodded solemnly. She went to stand up and he grabbed her wrist and she turned back to him.

“They’re demanding we give up all control of our docks. They’ve been targeting a new one each night. We thought we would be enough...” He looked back at his group of sailors and she noticed a few of them were shakily holding anything that could be considered a weapon. She saw a few rusty swords, some gardening tools, a mop. She sighed. 

“Thank you for telling me this. We’re going to stop them but we’ll need help. They plan on taking complete control of Scarif by spring. If they succeed they will control all trade in and out. You need to hold your docks the best you can until we can get them under control.” She told him. He nodded at her and slumped back against the stern.

“May the maker be with you.” He whispered to her, eyes watering and a tear trailing down his dirty cheek. She bowed her head to him and rose to stand. Ben was looking on silently and slowly moved to follow her down the gangplank and back home.


	17. Chapter 17

Ben and Rey spent each night prowling the docks, jumping in to help whichever ship was being attacked that night. They had to fight twice more against groups of Hutts, but those times the sailors were more prepared. The dock and ship owners sent men each night to guard and patrol the area, making it easier to intimidate and overwhelm the groups of gangsters.

Each night they came home exhausted, falling into bed only having stripped off their chain mail and boots. After their fourth night of patrolling they came back and it was a particularly swelteringly hot evening. Ben groaned when they entered their small shack. 

“It’s so hot here. I can’t even imagine what it’s like in the summer.” He complained, slipping off his outer tunic before removing his chain mail.

“I’ve heard it's the same all year round. Always hot, always sticky.” She peeled her arms wraps off, practically soaked from her sweat and the moist night air, revealing a smattering of purple bruises. “They look especially dark tonight.” She grumbled at her bruises. “They must get worse before they get better. This one is especially bad.”

She pulled back the neck of her tunic, revealing a bluish grey welt underneath her collarbone. Ben had just removed his under tunic and turned to her, only wearing his trousers. He walked towards her, gripped her tunic in his hand and pulled it farther to the side to inspect the bruise. He frowned at it and then lowered his lips to her skin, kissing it lightly.

Her eyes fluttered closed and she tilted her head back as one of his hands splayed across her back and the other gripped her waist. She winced and he quickly let go. He sank to his knees, grabbed the edge of her tunic and lifted it slightly, revealing another welt on her side from a well placed kick.

He put his lips there too, planting open mouthed wet kisses against her as he held tightly to her hips. One of his hands circled oh so slowly over her side, then brushed gently farther back as he stood up. His other hand cupped her face and he pressed his lips into hers hungrily. 

Usually when he kissed her it was soft and sweet. But this felt like a fire, fueled stronger by desire, wanting to consume everything in its path. He moved roughly against her and his tongue brushed against her bottom lip, asking her to open for him. She obliged and his tongue explored her mouth, licking eagerly. 

His hand on the back of her hip moved until it rounded the curve of her ass to the bottom and he squeezed, causing her to arch her back into him, making him moan into her mouth. His other hand came down and gripped her ass as well, both hands fondling and gripping us much as they could. Her hands were around his neck, holding herself up and her fingers played with his beautifully soft hair. 

His hands traveled over her front, rounding her breasts and coming down to clutch the hem of her tunic. He slowly pulled it up and over her head, depositing it on the ground. He continued to kiss her slowly while he searched for the edge of her breast-band, and when he found it, started to unravel it until it joined the tunic on the floor.

She tried to cover her chest with her arms but he grabbed each wrist and moved them back up to his shoulders. He pinned her with his stare before looking down to take in her breasts. There was a sharp intake of breath and then his hands moved shakily upward. 

Each one cupped her, and he squeezed lightly, kneading her breasts softly. Her nipples hardened and he gently rolled them with his fingers. She whimpered and she practically heard him growl before ducking his head to lick one of her nipples. She through her head back and moaned, loudly, the feeling totally foreign but amazing. 

She had never felt so alive in her life. Every nerve ending in her body felt like it was on fire. She needed more, and now. She pulled him tighter into her and started to roll her hips into his, kissing him hard.

He pulled back abruptly and growled into the side of her neck kissing under her ear and under her jaw. He started walking her backwards until she hit the back wall of the shack. He pinned her with his hips and caged her in with his arms, nipping at her neck.

She dropped her head back against the wood paneling, revealing her neck for him and he moaned hungrily, starting to move his hips against hers. She felt a hard bulge in his trousers against her thigh, that he pressed into her over and over again as he attacked her slender throat.

She had never felt so feverish and wild. It was like all rational thought had been cast from her body and all she could think about was more and harder. She started to move her hips in tandem with his, and brought her leg up around his hip for better leverage. 

Their lips and tongues danced together, sloppily, messily, but eagerly, not wanting to part even though it was sometimes too much. They had both denied themselves for so long, it seemed almost impossible to try and hold it back now. Marriage be damned. 

“Rey... please let me... I—I’ve wanted you...for so long, please, my love.” He said into her skin as his lips roamed around her lips and neck. “I— I... need you. So much.” He sounded almost pained, like he could cry at any moment if she didn’t give in to him. And she wanted to give into him, so much. She wanted it too.

She nodded frantically while his hand was at her neck, pulling it to the side to bare it to his teeth. “Please, Rey...I need to hear you say it.” 

“Yes... I—I need you... I want you too.” She rasped quietly into the air, her eyes screwed shut. That was all he needed. His arms snaked around her waist, hoisting her up into the air and he carried her over to the large mattress on the floor. He kneeled down still holding her in his arms, and together they fell onto the bed.

He rolled on top of her, kissing her soundly, resuming the movement of his hips into hers. He was holding onto her so tightly, almost as if he was afraid if he let go she would disappear. Perhaps that is what he was afraid of. She had disappeared once, after all.

She bucked up into him, threading her fingers through his hair and rubbing his scalp soothingly, trying to reassure him that she was there and she wasn’t going anywhere. He just held on tighter, and there was almost no space at all between their bodies. 

Eventually he raised up on his arms, and she looked up at him. He was bent over her, with his hair falling in his eyes. He was panting heavily and his eyes were darting back and forth along her face, a wild look in his eyes. There was a sheen of sweat on his forehead and his cheeks were reddened from the exertion. He had never looked more beautiful. 

He looked at her nervously, “I—I’ve never... I don’t know what I’m doing.” She looked at him with wide eyes and a small knot started to form in her stomach. She had no idea what to do or what to expect, except that it hurts sometimes. Fear started to roil around inside. 

“Me neither.” She started to shake and a small tear escaped out of the corner of her eye and it fell across her cheek. Ben caught it with his thumb and rubbed it into her skin. His eyes flashed with concern.

“Darling, what’s wrong?” He asked, oh so softly, continuing to rub her cheek with his thumb, his other hand gripping her hip tightly.

She shook her head, and gave a small breathy and half hearted chuckle. “I... I’m just nervous.” She shut her eyes, embarrassed for ruining the moment. 

“Rey... Rey, please look at me.” His voice was soft but firm and she opened her eyes to see him staring at her intently right above her. “Nothing has to happen. But if you want to, I will take care of you. We’ll figure it out.” He looked down at her with a small smile on his face, his eyes full of concern and care. She breathed deeply and blew out a shaky breath.

“I want to, so bad...just... go slow, okay?” She asked, wincing slightly in nervousness. He nodded and his hips started to move slowly against hers again.

“Yes, yes of course, Rey. Are you ready?” He asked her, kissing her sweetly on the mouth.

“Yes.” She told him, grabbing his face and pulling it down to hers, kissing him back. He pushed himself up on his arms and sat back on his haunches. He untied his trousers, looked her in the eye and put his hand down the front of them. One hand pulled the trousers down while the other down his pants pulled out a thick veiny cock. 

Even though Rey had been living with boys and men for years now, she had generally avoided seeing any male appendages and had no experience whatsoever with... that. So, she hadn’t really known what to expect from the tell tale bulge she always saw in men’s trousers. But now faced with it she was in a kind of shock. 

She tried not to look scared but it obviously didn't work because Ben scrunched his eyebrows together and looked worried. His trousers were around his knees on the bed and he dropped his cock before reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. He looked at her, waiting to see what she wanted to do. He had made it clear that it was up to her how far she wanted to go.

“It’s just... I’ve never seen one before... it was just kind of a surprise.” She mumbled, a blush coming up on her cheeks. He smiled at her and gave a small chuckle which helped ease the nervous knot in her stomach. “This is going well.” She grumbled, half sarcastically. 

“Rey, it’s fine, there’s no one way to do it. I don’t want to be anywhere but here with you.” He smiled at her so sweetly she felt like she was going to cry. She loved him so much. Oh. 

Loved. She loves him. And she has for a while. She smiled to herself and reached out and grabbed the head of his cock with her hand, feeling the velvety skin. It started to get harder under her touch and she looked up at Ben.

His face was strained and his eyes were closed. She squeezed him experimentally and he groaned. “Please, Rey, I need you now or— or I can do it myself, just... anything, please.” She continued pumping him in her hand and nodded at him. He said, his voice tight, “Rey, you need to stop or this will be over really quickly.” 

She let him go to lean back and untie her trousers, pushing them down her legs and over her feet to deposit them on the ground. Ben finished removing his as well as she laid back on the bed. They were both finally fully naked. He grabbed each of her thighs and pushed them apart, looking at her. She felt a blush rise to her cheeks and stain her chest and he sighed.

“You’re so beautiful. I’ve never seen one but I bet yours is the best in all of the Empire.” He smiled at her and she gave his thigh a little shove with her foot. 

“You’re ridiculous Ben. Now get over here.” She giggled at him, motioning him toward her with her fingers.

“Yes, ma’am.” He said quickly and leaned over her. He spit into his palm and pumped his cock a few times before lining it up at her entrance. He looked her in the eyes and she placed her hands on his shoulders and he slowly started to push in. 

Pain blossomed around her vagina and she clenched her body trying to ward off the reaction to the intrusion. Ben stopped and waited for her as she breathed deeply and a tear streamed out of the corner of her eye. She looked at him again and nodded, and he pushed in a little more.

“Stop! S—sorry... just— hold on.” She said through clenched teeth. It was so painful, she had no idea why anyone would do this for pleasure. She probably would just need to get used to it. She breathed in, and out, slowly, in and out, taking control of the pain. She could do pain, she had been hurt worse before. “Okay, go.”

He pushed in more and she tilted her pelvis up, causing him to slide all the way in. She bit back a yell and crushed her bottom lip with her teeth. Ben was panting above her, eyes shut and looking like he was in heaven.

“Oh, Rey.” He groaned and lightly pumped his hips. She tried not to wince in pain as he moved above her. “I’m going to come— Rey, I’m going to— Rey!” He called out, his face a vision of ecstasy. He sighed with his lips parted and eyes shut, and he started to slow his thrusts and the pain started to ebb as his cock shrank inside of her. 

He flopped forward onto her body, wrapped his arms around her waist and rolled them over so she was on top. “I don’t want to crush you...” He mumbled, embarrassed, into her skin. She looped her arms around his neck and tucked her head in. She felt extremely sensitive and her nerves down there needed something more. 

She started to rub herself against his flaccid penis, chasing after something, she wasn’t really sure what. A feeling was building in her core, it felt good and she wanted it. Her cunt was a little sensitive but the pressure felt good so she kept going. He rubbed her back and whispered how beautiful and good she was in her ear. 

She started to move faster and harder against him, her legs almost giving out. She was sweating and hot but she wanted to feel whatever it was at the end of this. Her cunt started to flutter and open and it felt so good she wanted to cry. 

“Ben! Ben! Aaaahhhhh...! Ben.” She clutched onto him tighter as the feeling hit its peak and then slowly faded, leaving her sated and delirious. She kissed his neck lazily as he rubbed her back and her hair and whispered into her ear.

“Good girl... Rey, you’re so wonderful. Rey I—“ He seemed to stop for a second, and she realized he was getting choked up. “Rey... I love you.” She lifted her head up to look in his eyes, and they were watery and bright and a small smile was on his face. She touched her palm to his cheek and smiled back as tears started to flow down her face as well.

“I love you too Ben. So much.” She started to cry earnestly then, and he reached up to mold her body to his, both of them slowly rocking and shaking as they quietly sobbed and basked in the joy of feeling loved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted their first time to be realistic. A lot of it is based off of my first experience. Both my husband and I were virgins, and our sexual education was absolutely abysmal, so we were completely clueless and it took awhile for us to figure it out.
> 
> I’m guessing that Rey didn’t receive a lot of sexual education, maybe a bit from Maz, but my guess is she didn't know much. And Ben probably only heard things thrown around from other men and knights that he interacted with. 
> 
> Also, fun fact, only about like 6% (or something like that) of women reach orgasm from penetration alone. Most women need stimulation from hands, tongue or vibrator. So, if you don’t orgasm during penetration or have simultaneous orgasm or whatever, no worries, most people don’t. I usually use my trusty vibrator while my husband strokes my hair and holds me. TMI? Probably.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben is horny

BANG!

Rey woke to a loud sound and jolted out of bed.

“Kylo! I’ve been knocking for too long, so I just decided to— AH!” Phasma yelled as she stepped into the shack and saw them both sitting up in bed. Rey scrambled to hold up a blanket to hide her chest, both her and Ben clearly naked and sleeping together. 

“What the HELL is going on!” Phasma yelled at them, standing stock still in the doorway, too shocked to move. 

Ben pushed his hair back out of his eyes and huffed. Rey buried her face in her hands, feeling her cheeks heat up. She shook her head, embarrassed to be caught sleeping with Ben, and just realized that she’s supposed to be a boy still.

“Fuck!” Rey yelled, furious with herself for being so stupid.

“Well yeah that’s what it looks like.” Phasma drawled, finally starting to calm down somewhat.

Ben didn’t move or make any inclination that he was going to talk. Rey sometimes forgot that he was a completely different person around anyone else but her. With her he was Ben; happy, flirty, soft, but with everyone else he was Kylo; broody, angry and quiet. 

“Phasma. Let us get dressed and then we’ll explain everything. I can’t talk to you like this.” She looked down at her state of dress and Phasma raised an eyebrow but conceded.

“Fine. It better be one hell of an explanation.”

*

“Wow, that is one hell of an explanation.” Phasma sat back as she crossed her arms, looking impressed. “I never would have guessed. Hell, how could anyone guess that? This is insane.” She pointed at Rey, “You’re insane.”

“You did the exact same thing!” She cried indignantly. 

“Yes but I didn’t sleep with my master!” Phasma yelled back. 

“Well you weren’t already in love with him from before!” Rey shouted angrily. Phasma stopped suddenly and looked at them with slightly narrowed eyes.

“You love each other?” She asked quizzically. Rey nodded and Phasma turned to Ben. He gave her one curt nod and she sighed, looking back to Rey. “I was going to suggest finding a new knight to apprentice to. If you get found out you won’t be able to become a knight. And if you keep this up, there’s no way you won’t get caught by the wrong kind of people.” She heaved a deep sigh. “But even I wouldn’t want to split up two... lovers.” She almost seemed to sneer, but in more of a sarcastic way.

“We’ll be more careful, I promise. I don’t want to leave him.” Rey told her. She felt Ben’s hand reach for her knee under the table and squeeze her lightly. She looked at him but his face was stoic and he was staring at nothing in particular. 

“Well you better be because we have company coming. I sent for some knights to help us after Midwinter. I think us and maybe a few more should be enough to stop the attacks. I’ve heard of some of your exploits and you’re doing a great job, but its about to get a lot worse.”

Rey and Ben shared a look and turned back to Phasma who continued. “I’ve heard some rumors but they’re just that. We need a way inside but there’s no way we could get that close to any of the— oooooh wait a minute, I’m a genius!” She hopped up and started to pace around the room. Rey shot Ben a quizzical look and he just shrugged.

“I’ve been trying to get around the Hutt leaders but I’m too recognizable and even you dressed as a server still couldn’t get you close enough. But maybe you as a girl could!” She looked at Rey excitedly, and Rey tried to figure out what she was trying to say, still confused when Ben shot to his feet. 

“NO! No! I absolutely refuse!” He yelled, pointing at Phasma angrily. She just brushed him off.

“Oh she’ll be fine, she can obviously handle herself. It’s the only way we can get the information we need.” Phasma explained firmly.

“I will not put her in that position!” He yelled. Rey’s brain finally caught up and she interjected.

“I don’t have a dress. And I’m not the prettiest thing there is, how do you know they’ll even want me?” Rey asked her, folding her arms over her chest. Phasma just scoffed and Ben looked pissed.

“Rey, I always thought you were a feminine looking boy but now I know you’re a girl, It’s hard to unsee it. You’re beautiful. And with some makeup and hair styling, trust me, they’ll want you. And tonight is a masque. If you can get enough information tonight, you’ll only have to go to one and they won’t even see you.” Phasma said confidently.

Ben looked like a kicked puppy. He grumbled but only loud enough for Rey to hear. “You don’t need makeup. You’re already beautiful.” Rey tried not to laugh and looked at Phasma. 

“Okay fine. Do you have a dress? How do I even get invited anyway?” Rey asked her.

“We can go get you fitted today. And you don’t need an invitation. Trust me.”

*

Phasma was right. The minute Rey had walked up to the manor house, dressed in a blood red gown, the guards stepped aside without question. Apparently there aren’t too many women in Scarif and the men are always eager for more companions, no matter their station. If they can dress the part then so be it.

Her dress certainly was doing its job. As she walked up the steps and through the entry hall, eyes turned to study her and then returned to their conversations, but keeping tabs on her all the same.

It may have been that she didn’t have an escort and was therefore free, or it was that her gown was so low on her shoulders, and so tight that she felt her breasts would escape at any minute. She was glad that Ben had not been around to see it. He would have lost it, thrown her over his shoulder and carried her back home to rip it off of her. He hadn’t seen her in a dress since she was a first year squire, and back then she didn't have any breasts.

There had been a salon next to the dressmakers, and the ladies had styled Rey’s short hair so that it piled and cascaded off the top of her head, leaving her neck completely bare and drawing even more attention to her bosom. She felt ridiculous but also extremely sexy, which was confusing but she went with it. 

Phasma had been pleased with the result, confident she would acquire the information they needed. She had also pulled her aside and snuck a small sack into her palm. Rey had brought her eyes up to look at her and Phasma had given her a small nod.

“Use this root in your tea. It will help to prevent certain unwanted… outcomes.” She had grimaced slightly, obviously grossed out by the fact that one of her oldest friends was being physically intimate. Rey had thanked her, and had asked the ladies doing her hair to brew her a cup right away. 

The pouch was safely hidden underneath all the silken layers of her red dress and she patted it absentmindedly. She had never thought about that aspect of life, and thoughts of children and families were swirling around her head. However, now was not the time, so she pushed it out of mind. 

She held her shoulders back and puffed out her chest like the ladies at the dressmakers had taught her to do and she tried to keep her hands from fidgeting as she sauntered forward. Her eyes immediately found the buffet table but she turned away and sighed. Unfortunately Ben was the only male she knew who enjoyed a woman with an appetite. 

She adjusted her black mask, which covered a lot of her face. She didn’t want any chance of being recognized. She also wore a lot of rouge on her lips and her eyes were outlined in kohl to make sure that even if someone looked into her eyes they would look different than normal.

The charade was obviously working because within moments of her arrival she was asked to dance. She still wasn’t good at it, so she clung to the man’s arms desperately, hoping that her nearness and her obvious cleavage would make up for her awkward stumbling. 

She pretended to be a quiet, naive little thing, and the men she danced with bought it, talking freely in front of her with their friends and associates after dancing. She danced with one man, who was extremely ugly, who brought her over to his friends afterwards. He must have been a lower ranking Hutt, because he talked about what he would do once they gained control of the Areca dock, which she knew for a fact would be one of the last to go with the amount of sailors now guarding it.

She felt a meaty paw touch her bare shoulder and she turned as a portly man spoke in a sickly sweet voice.

“Excuse me sir, do you mind if I steal this sweet young thing for a moment?” The man whose arm she was on looked extremely annoyed, but nodded his consent, letting her go. She assumed that this new man must be important, if the ugly man was willing to give her up. She offered the new man her hand and he led her away to the dance floor. 

“What’s your name my sweet?” He drawled. He wore a purple tunic and a grey mask with yellow patterns. He was shorter than her by just a little and his stomach protruded out so far it was bumping into her while they danced. She hadn’t ever heard an accent like his before.

“Kira, my lord.” She said demurely, choosing a title and hoping it would work. He didn't seem shocked or elated, meaning he must be used to being called that. 

“What a lovely name for a lovely thing. What’s such a beautiful girl like you doing in Scarif?” He asked her. She wasn’t really sure how to answer that.

“I just love the sunshine.” She responded sweetly, hoping her feigned innocence would give her a pass. It seemed to work.

“Oh yes, it’s quite a nice change from other areas of the Empire.” His hand started to move down her hip and she froze, not knowing what to do when a voice spoke up.

“Ziro!” Another man clapped him on the shoulder, eyeing Rey. “It’s time, leave your little mouse.” Ziro looked annoyed but didn’t let go of Rey.

“Surely she can accompany me, a mouse this small could do no harm.” He grabbed her chin and she smiled sweetly but seethed on the inside. 

“Fine, but you’ll need to handle her.” Rey didn’t like the sound of that, but this was too promising. She had a few knives under her skirts so she would be fine. These men were too fat anyway, they’d never be able to keep up with her, even in the gown.

“Perfect! Come you.” He offered his arm to Rey and she held it daintily, mostly out of revulsion. He seemed to have forgotten her name, choosing to call her sweet little monickers. She followed close by his side as they moved through the ballroom and down a hall to a side chamber. Inside the room was a roaring fireplace, and in a semi circle in front of it a couch and some overstuffed armchairs atop a plush scarlet rug, each chair seating a different huge man, a few of them with women at their feet or sitting on their laps.

Rey tried not to retch. The only seat left was on the couch, thankfully, so Ziro sat down and Rey stood behind him, and to keep her place there and not in front, she started to rub his shoulders, as she saw another woman doing. He seemed to like that because he closed his eyes and leaned back against her stomach.

He smelled so disgusting and Rey tired not to notice his greasy hair as she delicately kneaded his shoulders with her fingers. A man stood at the front of the room, to the right of the fireplace, holding a mug and taking sips as another man whispered frantically into his ear. When he saw Ziro sit he waived the other man off and cleared his throat.

“Alright, we’ll make this quick so you can get back to your... festivities.” The man sneered, eyeing the women around the room. “Rotta sends his regards, and asks that each of you provide one hundred men for the siege.” 

At that there were some murmurs and a few quiet cries of outrage, but were stopped when the man held up his hand. Rey tried to control her shock. “As you know, the sailors have been encouraged by these vigilantes and are increasing in number. However, the empire refuses to help them and so we must take advantage while their numbers are still down before the spring ships arrive from Mon Cala.”

“Your men must be here in twenty day cycles to start and finish the siege before the empire can do anything about it.” The men still didn’t look happy and a few were brushing off the women around them.

“Rotta promises good returns for the use of your men. Once Scarif is under control, there will be much more money and men to acquire. Any questions?” The gathered Hutts started to ask logistical questions and Rey’s mind reeled. There was no way they could fight off hundreds of gangsters. They would have to get reinforcements. Or all of Scarif would be lost.

She needed to get out of there, she had the information, staying any longer was dangerous. She leaned down and whispered in Ziro’s ear sensually, “Would you like a drink my lord, so much to discuss.” She said with pouty lips, looking at the men arguing. 

“Oh darling you read my mind. Please.” He turned his head and offered his cheek and waited for her expectantly. She was confused but lowered her head to give him a reluctant kiss on the cheek. “Hurry back now.” She nodded and glided from the room, shutting the door softly. 

She walked down the hall briskly when a hand shot out from an alcove, grabbing her arm and pulling her into a hidden corner. She was about to yell when her assailant placed his black gloved hand over her mouth and whispered in her ear.

“What the HELL are you wearing?!” He whispered fiercely at her. She stuttered for a moment and then pulled back angrily, wanting to punch whoever this was when she noticed the deep brown eyes, and the all black attire, a black cloak drawn up around his head so his face couldn’t be seen. His face was flushed and his eyes looked wild.

Her mouth gaped open but before she could say anything he grabbed her neck and pulled her in, kissing her angrily and grabbing her ass firmly. He twisted around pushing her back against the wall, rutting into her like some kind of wild animal.

“Who—gave—you—permission—to—wear—this.” He punctuated each word with a strong snap of his hips into hers and on this he buried his face into her cleavage, nuzzling her breasts. She threw her head back and moaned, as he fondled her ass cheeks in both hands and licked at the tops of her breasts, biting the plump flesh there. 

“Ben... Ben, stop it!” She whisper yelled at him but made no move to actually stop him. He continued sucking on her cleavage, starting to mark the flesh red. He brought his hands up to her chest and pulled the fabric down so her tits sprang free. He groaned and immediately latched his lips onto one of her rosy nipples, sucking greedily.

She was going to die. She was already dead, and had gone to heaven. She had never felt so sexy or powerful as she leaned against this stone wall, wearing a fantastic dress and had a man practically on his knees, panting for her. With her head thrown back a devious smile curved on her lips just as he grabbed her waist to hoist her up against the wall, pining her there so he didn’t have to bend down to suck at her tits.

He continued to lavish them while she played with his silky soft hair. Fuck, she loved him. That was equally exhilarating and terrifying. Footsteps sounded down the hallway and he let her down quickly and gently, rushing to pull her dress back up over her breasts, having a hard time with the fabric. He grunted in frustration and she suppressed a giggle as she removed his hands and fixed it herself, and then kissed him on his cheek, which was flushed heavily.

The footsteps faded away and she looked up at him to see his eyes darkening again. She held a finger to his lips to stop him from attacking her again. “They are waiting for me—“

Ben growled as he grabbed her ass pulling her into him, “You are not going back in there.” She placed her hands on his chest petting him there.

“Of course not baby, I’m leaving with you. But he is expecting a drink so I’ll send someone else to bring it to him so he doesn't worry.” Ben frowned at this supposed ‘he’, but she pushed him back and moved to exit the alcove before he could do anything. She looked back at him from over her bare shoulder, her hair falling from her elaborate updo to cascade down her back. “Meet me outside in a few moments and then you can have your way with me.”

She didn’t see his face but heard his exhale as she walked away, back towards the ballroom. She looked around and spotted a few women who were dressed like her. She found one who seemed extremely confident, hoping she could handle herself.

“Excuse me dear, I was helping Lord Ziro but I just started my monthlies and I can’t bear to face him. He’s in want of a drink.” She spoke to her, blushing and covering her face to show her embarrassment. 

“Oh we can’t have that. Thank you love.” She smirked, clearly pleased she had snagged one of the Lords right from under Rey’s nose.

“He’s in the room down that hall on the left.” Rey told her and the woman nodded and moved towards the room, grabbing a drink on her way there with a seductive sway to her hips. The woman should do just fine in helping Ziro forget Kira.

*

Rey found Ben waiting in an alley near the manor, holding the reins of Silencer. When he saw her he rushed forward, looping his arms around her waist and hoisting her up in the air to spin her around in the cool night air. She giggled as she threw her arms around his neck and smiled wildly. “Ben!” She laughed.

He set her down gently and kissed her sweetly on the mouth. He backed away only slightly to put his forehead against hers. “You are so beautiful, my darling, I just couldn’t resist.” His hands started to move again and she caught them with hers. 

“We are not doing this in an alley. Take me home Ben.” She threaded her fingers through his and dragged him back to the horse while he groaned. 

“Fine. But you’ll pay for making me wait.” He replied sassily, winking at her when she looked back at him to shoot him a glare. He hoisted her onto Silencer so she was sidesaddle and he mounted up behind her, one hand grabbing the reins, the other holding her waist tightly, pulling her into his chest. He kissed her temple and whipped the reins and Silencer started off into a trot.

“Damn, I’ve never had to ride side saddle before, this is terrible!” Rey complained as they rode through the streets. She held on tight to the saddle, feeling like she was going to fall off any minute. Her hair started to fall out during the bumpy ride, and Ben started sputtering as it got in his mouth. She couldn’t help but giggle, but tried to keep it under control.

“Your hair is attacking me!” Ben laughed as he batted it away from his mouth.

“You attacked me first so it’s only fair.” Rey shrugged nonchalantly as she corralled her hair in a ribbon. She yelped when Ben pinched her side. “What was that for!?” She yelled.

“For being a brat.” He stated, his hand grabbing her waist and moving up to squeeze one of her breasts. She couldn’t suppress the moan that escaped her mouth and he took that and started squeezing in earnest, nipping at her neck and bare shoulders. She loved it but pushed him off.

“Ben, pay attention to where we’re going!” She admonished.

“Oh it’s fine.” He said but all the same gave her earlobe one last suck, being content with just holding her close as he led Silencer back to their shack by the ocean. 

They trotted up to the hut and he hopped off of the horse, holding his hands out to grab Rey’s waist to lift her off. She slid down against his front, causing her breasts to bunch up, bearing even more cleavage to him. “Oh I can’t wait to get you out of this dress” He pretended to bite at her tits and she yelped and ran to go into the shack. He quickly tied up Silencer and followed behind her, smacking her ass as she clambered up the steps.

She opened the door and was brought up short, seeing Phasma sitting at their table, her arms crossed and frowning. Ben hadn’t seen her and came up behind Rey, wrapping his arms around her waist and hoisting her up and latched his lips to her neck. She squirmed to get down, her face flushing red from embarrassment.

“Kylo, stop!” Rey yelled and he stilled when she said the name Kylo, and set her down, finally seeing Phasma sitting there. He let Rey go and cleared his throat, entering the shack and stripping off his cloak, a frown on his face. Rey’s face fell. She had almost forgotten the real reason she was wearing the dress, the meeting that she had successfully infiltrated with the horrible news she had just learned.

“Well that was something I never want to see again.” Phasma said in mock disgust, turning to look away from the two of them. Rey’s face flushed anew as she started to take the pins out of her hair. She walked over to her bag and removed her tunic and trousers. “Now, any news, or was this charade only good for Kylo to see you in that dress?” 

Rey choked on her own spit and coughed as she turned around, horrified to see Phasma smirking and Ben scowling deeply. Rey sighed, realizing the news she had to deliver would not be taken well. “We have twenty day cycles before each Hutt Lord will bring one hundred men each to assist in the siege of Scarif. They are positive the Empire will not send reinforcements, and plan to have control of Scarif before the Mon Cala ships arrive.”

The words settled in the heavy air, thick with humidity and fear. After a few painfully slow moments Phasma exhaled. “Well, fuck.”

Rey wrung her hands, sitting on a barrel, feeling like a puff pastry as her dress settled around her. “What are we going to do? We could call for more knights, but that’s hundreds of men.”

“Well just us and some unhappy sailors sure won’t stop them.” Phasma looked at Ben, “You need to appeal to Snoke. He will listen to you. We need the army.” 

Ben looked troubled. After a few moments he spoke. “I’m not sure. He’s extremely concerned with the colonization efforts. I can’t imagine he would spare the army, but perhaps he could spare some of the reserves in Coruscant. We would only need a few hundred.” He didn’t seem very confident. His face fell a little more.

“I’ll need to speak with him in person. He won’t agree with a messenger.” He sighed and turned to Rey. “We’ll need to leave tonight.” His eyes were sad. 

Their time in Scarif had been busy and stressful, but it had been fun, exciting, and dare she say, romantic. It was all about to end. If they had to lead an army, that meant he would be busy all day and she would need to be a boy full time. They wouldn’t be able to hold each other at night, or hold hands as they walked, or talk freely with each other. She looked at him, her eyes almost starting to water but holding it together while Phasma was still there. She nodded. Phasma spoke up.

“Rey should stay with me, you’ll go faster alone and I could use the—“

“No.” 

“No?” Phasma looked exasperated. 

“She’s coming with me.” Ben stated firmly. Rey looked at him.

“Kylo, she might be right.” Rey said softly, even though it hurt to even think about leaving him.

“I don’t care. You’re my apprentice and I’m not leaving you.” He said that last part pointedly, staring at her, his eyes fierce. She knew what he was referring to and she almost wanted to cry. He was so good to her.

“Ren, you’re not supposed to have an apprentice, Snoke will not be pleased to see her.” Phasma pointed out.

“I won’t take her to the castle. She’ll wait for me in the city. But she comes with me, that’s final.” He stood up, signaling that the conversation was over. Phasma sighed heavily, mumbling something about Kylo being a stubborn ass, but she stood up nonetheless and made her way to the door.

“We need those men Kylo. If you can’t get them, Scarif is gone and the Hutts will have more power than they should.” She looked at him sternly, emphasizing her statement and Ben’s eyes grew hard and he looked at the ground. Phasma nodded at Rey and left the shack. 

Ben was still looking at the ground, a fierce scowl on his face, so Rey walked over to him and brushed some stray hairs behind his ear. She cupped his face and gently lifted his head so he looked into her eyes. She looked at him, patiently waiting for whatever it was he wanted to do or say. 

It took a few moments of labored breathing but he finally spoke. “The Hutts abducted my mother when she was a young woman. My uncle rescued her and my father who had been imprisoned by them. She killed their leader so she could escape.” He told her in a low voice.

She desperately wanted to ask him about his family, but it was a touchy subject for him and she didn’t want to push it. He would tell her when he was ready. She ducked her head to look at him, and wiped away some wetness that had gathered at the corner of his eye and whispered to him.

“Then let’s make them pay.”


	19. Chapter 19

They rode hard and fast, barely taking time to sleep, each night too exhausted to do anything more than hold each other as they sank into oblivion. It took four days of rain, mud, and sore backsides, but they finally arrived at Coruscant around midday. 

They rode until they could see the turrets and flags of the castle from a short distance away. Ben slowed Silencer and they trotted until he found a pub with outdoor tables and chairs. The crowds were thick near the castle and they had trouble navigating their horses through the throng.

They rode up to the fence in front of the pub that was meant for tying horses. Rey hopped down but Ben remained seated.

“I want you to wait for me here.” He nodded towards the the pub, the Mos Eisly Cantina. “If all goes well, within a few hours of meetings and logistics I’ll come out to fetch you and we can head to the barracks to ready the troops to head out tomorrow.” 

She looked up at him from the ground, and admired they way the sun illuminated his crown of hair. She nodded at him, but she must have looked worried because he added, “If it doesn’t go well, I’ll meet you our here and we’ll... reevaluate.” He seemed stressed and she wanted so badly to grab his hand, but instead keep it tight around her reins. She gave him a small smile.

“Be careful Ben.” She almost whispered. He nodded at her and turned his horse towards the gates of the castle. From the distance she could hear yelling and the sound of heavy machinery as the gates started to open. She imagined him riding in, and disappearing behind the stone walls. 

*

After ordering from the cantankerous owner, Rey sat outside, finishing off some roast chicken when a castle guard came up to her table. 

“Are you the Squire Rey Kanata of Takodana?” He inquired, a little gruff. She put down her chicken and wiped her hands on her trousers and stood.

“Yes.” She asked and waited.

“King Snoke requests your presence at the battle meeting.” He said briskly. Her eyes widened but tried her best to keep her face as emotionless as possible. Ben had said he would come out to meet her, and hadn’t mentioned any other plan.

Well, at least if there was a battle meeting, that meant that it was going well. She was nervous and didn’t want to see Snoke, but she couldn't ignore a direct summons. She pushed down her fear and stood up straight. 

“All right.” She nodded at him and she fished out some credits from her pocket to throw on the table and walked over to the posts to untie BB. The guard led her to the gates and after some yelling they were opened for her.

She watched as the rusting metal spikes rose into the air above her, thick poles that looked menacing and terrible. She marched through, gripping the reins so tightly the leather creaked, feeling dread as she made her way into the stronghold. The front of the castle boasted a large courtyard with many windows and doorways looking into it. She was led to one of the many wooden doors and a page came up to grab BB. 

She hesitated and the page frowned at her, waiting for the reins, holding out his hand impatiently. She reluctantly handed them to him and watched as he walked away. She tracked their movements as best as she could to see where BB would be taken. The guard with her cleared his throat to get her attention and she slowly turned away after seeing the page exit through an archway, filing the direction away in her mind.

She followed the guard through the door, walking through what seemed like the old hallways of the the castle, dark and small, made with rough stone and small windows. After awhile they exited a door and came into a hallway that must be part of the newer royal wing. It was wide, with stained glass and lots of candelabra, tapestries and paintings. The difference was quite staggering.

They approached a set of double wide dark oak doors, flanked by two guards with spears. The guard leading her nodded to one and he slipped through the doorway leaving her waiting outside. After a few moments he came back out, holding the door open for her to enter. She walked into a long room with bright scarlet tapestries lining the walls. The sunlight from the arched windows hit the tapestries in a way that the whole room seemed to be on fire. There was a large stained glass against the back wall, backlighting a raised dais that housed an extremely ostentatious throne.

Sitting on the throne was the ugliest man that Rey had ever laid eyes on. He was tall but extremely lanky and his skin looked like it was going to fall off of him. And on his face, a sneer so deep he looked deformed. His cold blue eyes were fixed on her and a rush of dread passed through her body. She hated this man.

Behind him stood about ten guards, spaced apart in a semi circle surrounding the dias, each armed with a spear and a sword at their side. They were fearsome and imposing behind their helmets and full battle armor. Rey tried not to eye them with trepidation. She looked back to Snoke who was leering at her. 

“Ah, young Rey.” He drawled from his throne. Right then, Ben, who had his back to her, whirled around, eyes wide, and watched as she strode up to stand in line with him. His face fell back into an impassive mask as he turned back to Snoke. 

“Why Lord Ren, did you not tell me about your new squire?” Snoke asked, with feigned interest. 

Ben’s face remained stoic as he spoke. “I did not believe it important enough to worry your highness.” Snoke made a tsk noise and shook his head.

“Why, of course it is important. All of the dealings of my prized student are important to me.” He paused dramatically. “Especially after I had forbid you from acquiring a squire.” He narrowed his eyes at Ben and she wasn’t sure if she saw Ben wince or if she had just blinked. 

“I needed assistance for the problem with the Hutts, as I have explained.” Ben grunted.

Snoke was not convinced. “You do not need assistance. You are Kylo Ren, supposedly the greatest knight of the Empire.” He sneered at Ben. “But you’re weak.” He said harshly. 

“Weak enough to need help, weak enough to want a squire to ease your burdens. Weak enough to need love from a silly, stupid, girl.” 

Rey’s head exploded and she desperately wanted to look at Ben but she dared not move. Ben remained completely still, and any one who knew him would think he didn't care, but she saw his hands twitch and she knew he was angry and in shock. He didn’t say anything.

“Do you think I didn’t know, that I wouldn’t find out?” He sneered at Ben. “You’re a fool Kylo Ren, not worth your title as a knight.” He gripped his throne as he smiled sickeningly. “When I discovered you had taken on an apprentice, I looked into her pedigree to see what could be done and what did I find?” He paused, waiting for an answer that he knew wouldn’t come. 

He smiled viciously. “A degenerate family, picking up stray trash and sending it to become a knight.” He scoffed. “And somehow she made it through. No doubt spreading her legs in the process. We will not tolerate such insubordination.” 

Rey watched as Ben’s hands clenched into fists and his eyes looked murderous. His face however, remained impassive. Rey’s heart was beating wildly in her chest and her palms were sweaty. She had a knife on her but nothing else, her weapons were with BB. She was a fool, and now she would die a fool.

“She will die for her deception, and you, my apprentice, will do it.” 

Rey grabbed her knife and lunged at the guard standing behind her. She swept his feet out from under him and sprinted for the door, not really sure how she would even get out of the castle. From behind her Snoke snapped his fingers and guards flooded in from the door blocking her path, she turned around to see the guards behind Snoke had moved to his front, weapons raised at Ben who was gripping his sword.

“Enough.” Snoke commanded. “Take her to the stocks at execution square. We will gather crowds and all will see what happens to women who are deceitful whores.” 

Guards immediately flanked her, gripping her arms and forcing her towards the door. She heard Snoke chuckling as they dragged her away. 

“And Ren, your request has been denied. Let the Hutts destroy Scarif. And when they’re done, and their numbers are depleted, we’ll burn the entire city and kill everyone who thought they could live independent of the Empire.”

Rey turned her head in horror and the last thing she saw before she was dragged out of the throne room was Snoke laughing and Kylo’s head hung low, his sword pointed towards the ground.

*

She was dragged through endless hallways to what seemed like the other end of the castle. One of the guards held open a menacing iron door and they exited into a small courtyard and then through another door, arriving at executioners square. It was a large plaza, one end walled in by a wing of the castle, and the rest surrounded by adjoining streets, shops, pubs, and market stalls. 

The castle wall had a balcony that was directly behind a large stone platform that held a few sets of stocks and a chopping block for executions. In front of the platform was plenty of space for a crowd to watch executions, which she heard were a fairly common occurrence.

She had never attended one, not caring for mindless violence, even though the squires were encouraged to attend occasionally. It seems she would get to attend one after all. She would laugh at her morbid humor if she weren’t so incredibly terrified. She was going to die.

After an impossible life, living impossible dreams, and finding an impossible love, she was going to die, for trying to do the right thing by helping others. She should have listened to her gut. She should not have gone into that castle. 

She was hoisted up onto the platform and placed in the stocks, the wood scraping against her wrists painfully. She wasn’t tall enough for the mens, but a little too tall for the women's one so she was awkwardly crouched against it. The guards locked it and left, leaving her alone.

She looked around, watching the people mill about the market stalls, too far away to see any faces. The square itself was empty and she had never felt so alone. It was chilly out, and the wind bit through her trousers. 

She hung her head and she watched as tears fell from her cheeks and splashed onto the stone, disturbing the black and red dust there. The tears starting to fall hard and fast, and her body shook as she cried into the ground. Ben had done nothing to help her. In the end he had chosen Snoke. She had always been alone and now she would die alone.

She shouldn’t have underestimated his loyalty to Snoke. Snoke had been Ben’s advisor for years, and she and Ben had only really known each other for a few months. Why would Ben ever choose her over the king, and the promise of power? 

She cried and cried, punishing herself for being so stupid. Fool, why did you ever think you were deserving of love. But Maz loved you, and Chewie. And Finn and Rose. 

A fresh wave of tears arrived as she thought of her small family and how they would never get to see her again. She would never get to tell them goodbye, or tell them how much they meant to her, how much she loved them. 

She was shaking terribly and the splintered wood cut into her forearms, causing drops of blood to fall alongside her tears. she heard trumpets blare and realized they were heralding crowds. She looked up, blinking tears from her eyes and saw people emerging from the surrounding buildings and streets to file into the square.

The crowd was not particularly rowdy, just curious about this young boy in the stocks. They walked around, some people finding friends and family to talk and mingle, some eating but most everyone was just wandering around looking generally relaxed or curious. 

They acted like nothing was wrong when her life was about to end by the only man she had ever loved. She wanted to sob at the thought of Ben having to kill her, but she couldn’t show weakness, not right now. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she steeled her resolve and tried to stop her body from shaking.

After the square was just about filled, the trumpets sounded once more and the crowd cheered, waving at something behind her, but soon stopped and quieted down to listen. She was confused until she heard his disgusting voice, booming across the square. 

“This woman has lied, pretending to be a man and attempted to become a knight. She will die for her deceit!” He bellowed furiously, obviously waiting for some kind of response. The crowd gave a cheer but it wasn’t nearly as loud as it had been before they had known what her crimes were. It didn’t matter, nothing could be done now. 

The trumpets blared again and she saw a procession marching into her range of vision, red clad guards carrying flags and spears, and a fat man in black caring an axe. The group was accompanied by booming drums that matched the beat to their march. The drums pounded and reverberated through the square, and her heart started to match the rhythm in double time. 

Boom boom boom.

The murmuring of the crowd grew as the message was relayed across the square and to the surrounding streets. More and more people started to emerge from beyond the square, filling in the empty spaces. Rey wondered if all executions were this crowded.

The procession stopped next to the platform, and she saw Ben mount the steps followed by rows of armed guards, carrying spears. They fanned out across the platform, two of them flanking the chopping block and another two coming to unlock her. She bowed her head and saw Ben’s boots step in front of her. She didn’t look up, afraid that if she saw him her entire being would crumble.

Two guards walked over to her, one gripping a metal key in his hand that he used to unlock the stocks. He lifted the wooden contraption up and the two of them gripped her arms painfully and hoisted her onto her feet. She kept her head down, still not wanting to look at Ben, not wanting to see the only person she had ever loved completely, destroy her in every way.

The guards practically dragged her over to the block and roughly pushed her to her knees. But before they could put her head down she couldn’t stop herself form looking up, and her eyes met his. They were as impassive as ever and her heart completely broke. He really was going to kill her. Her eyes welled with tears again and she whispered, “Ben.”

But he had already made up his mind. She meant nothing to him. Not compared to Snoke, to the Empire. The guards forced her head down against the stone that had been smoothed from years of shaking and tears. She looked down at Ben’s boots, blinking tears out of her eyes as the guards held her firmly in place. The booming drums stopped and silence fell.

Snoke’s voice boomed throughout the square. “Now, the mighty Kylo Ren will kill the lying bitch!” He practically screamed. Rey was shaking violently and trying not to cry, trying to keep her dignity even in death. The drums started again, faster this time, beating heavily in time with her thumping heart. Boom boom boom.

Ben’s feet moved and he was handed an axe. She couldn’t really see from her position but he must have refused because the guard with the axe backed away still holding it. Boom boom boom.

She heard his knife unsheathe and she wondered why he would kill her with a knife? Maybe slitting her throat was quicker and less disrespectful, allowing her to keep her head even in death. She wasn’t sure but that’s all she could think of. The drums pounded against her skull. Boom boom boom.

She closed her eyes tight, awaiting her fate, hoping it would be over before she could even realize it was happening. Her body shook violently and tears streamed unbidden from her eyes, pooling under her cheeks and running over the stone. Fear rampaged through her body, and she wanted to run out of her skin, out of her life. She wanted to fly away, high into the clouds and never be seen again.

The drums rolled and stopped and she knew it would soon be over. She clenched her body, waiting, when she heard a guttural yell. Her eyes flew open in time to see the guard next to her fall to the ground with a knife buried in his neck, and Kylo grabbing the spear out of his hands.

The guards holding her were so shocked she was able to sit up enough to watch as he wound back, and flung his body forward, throwing the spear as hard as he could, all of this happening in flash of seconds.

She whipped her head quickly and watched as the spear sailed through the air straight towards a fear stricken Snoke, who was too shocked to move before the spear was thrust through his chest, toppling him backwards so he fell hard on the floor of the balcony, the shocked look on his face the last thing Rey saw of him. 

She looked up at Ben, and he was staring down at her with such care, such purpose that her heart almost burst. But before she could think he was handing her a sword and together they turned back to back, striking at the guards nearest them, cutting them to the ground. 

The crowd seemed to have recovered from their stunned silence and mayhem ensued. The crowd was roaring and guards were rushing to the platform, but from what Rey could see, they were having a hard time because the crowd was too thick and too rowdy. She and Ben continued to strike down any guards that opposed them, quickly clearing all the ones from the platform. 

The platform was empty and Rey was looking around wildly for any kind of exit or strategy when her eyes landed on Ben who was looking at her. Sound seemed to fade away as her body stilled and she saw in his eyes regret, fear, and it made her heart hurt.

He opened his mouth and it was silent for a few seconds before he spoke. “Rey... I—“ He seemed to be at a loss for words and she though about telling him to worry about it later when he surged forward, pulling her body into his and slanting his lips against her, kissing her fiercely. She was shocked but wrapped her arms around his neck.

Ben groaned and seemed to want to depen the kiss but Rey heard yelling so she ripped her lips from his and looked around to make sure they weren’t in any danger. The crowd was a mix of yelling, screaming and cheering and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. She then noticed the reason they were still alone on the platform was because the crowd was detaining the guards that had been in the square, but plenty more were now streaming through the doorways from the castle and from the surrounding streets.

“Ben, we need to leave, how can we get out—“ she tried to lead him off the platform but he refused to budge, staring out into the crowd. “Ben?” She looked up at him and he looked back at her.

“Rey, I am Snoke’s successor. The throne is rightfully mine.” He turned to face her and she took a step back. “Rey, join me, and we can start a new kingdom, together.” He held his hand out to her and she stared back at him.

She didn’t want this, she didn't want to be a queen. There was no way the people would accept them after what had just happened. They needed to leave. Now.

“Ben, we can’t go that way, we need to leave before they kill us!” She was getting frantic now and she looked around to find a way she could escape. Rey looked at Ben and his face hardened and Rey’s fear grew. “Ben they’re going to kill me!” She begged, tears starting to fall down her face. He turned to look at her.

“Rey, I’m in charge now, they can’t do anything to hurt you!” He was starting to get angry and her breathing got heavier and labored. 

“You don’t know that!” She cried, her sobs continuing. He held out his hand again and she took another step back.

“Rey... please.” He said, tears almost coming to his eyes. She shook her head. She looked around and time seemed to still as she watched people fighting in the square, soldiers and guards trying to march forward through the crowd, a few of them almost to the steps of the platform. She made her decision. She needed to save herself. 

Without warning she leapt off the platform and landed among the crowd that parted just barely to let her through and she took off running in the direction of the market stalls. Distantly she heard Ben yelling her name but she didn’t dare look back. A guard grabbed her arm and she grabbed his wrist and twisted it, dislocating his elbow without breaking stride.

She weaved and ducked through the crowd, trying to stay crouched so that anyone who tried to track her would lose her in the throng of bodies. She was now too far to hear Ben’s yells but she didn’t dare look back, until she reached the avenue lined with market stalls, carriages, and buildings. She ducked behind a stall draped in tan cloth coverings, grabbed a swath of fabric and threw it over her shoulders and head.

She looked around wildly and saw that no one was paying attention to her. She had hid herself well enough in the crowd, which was only growing as more and more people came from other parts of the city, the news starting to spread. It was easy to get lost. The crowd seemed to quiet down and she finally gave herself permission to look back.

Ben was standing on the platform, hands behind his back talking to a group of people in fine robes. Every few moments his eyes scanned the crowd but the men kept calling back his attention. Rey’s eyes welled, she could not be a part of this. They would never accept her. 

She started to move farther towards the avenue when she heard a herald call. She was too far to hear the first herald, but there were others throughout the crowd who repeated what was being said. After a few moments a man stood atop a wagon and called to the area she was in. 

“Sir Kylo Ren is the rightful successor to King Snoke!” He yelled to the crowd to a mixture of confusion, cheering and booing. The front of the square had the same reaction. She listened to the people around her talking.

“Isn’t he the kings attack dog?”

“I heard he’s even more ruthless than Snoke.”

“We can’t have him as king.”

“Tarkin won’t allow it.”

“Didn’t he just kill the king? Isn’t that treason?”

The gossip died down as a trumpet sounded again. She heard the herald yelling at the front and and after a few moments the man on the wagon reiterated the news. 

“Sir Kylo Ren has invoked his right to the throne on account of his place in succession and his birth! He belongs to the royal house Organa. He is the crown prince of Alderaan and rightful king to both the Empire and the kingdom of Alderaan!”

Rey’s gasp of shock was absorbed by the roar of the crowd. She sat down hard on a crate, cradling her head in her hands. Ben is a prince? And now he’s a king? She started to shake her head and she started to sob again. 

It was all just too much. She almost was executed by a man who she thought she loved who she now learned was a prince and is now a king and all she wanted was to be a knight and she had gotten all of this and she couldn’t be with Ben. She was a nobody, he couldn’t want her, the kingdom wouldn’t want her, what did she even think she was doing?

Her breathing grew short and fast and she sobbed as her mind spiraled out of control. Run, run, she needed to get out of there. That was the only solution. To run and never come back, where she wouldn’t cause anyone any problems.

She tried to stand and almost fell over. Her vision was blurry and her breathing labored, almost choking from her fear. She saw someone eye her suspiciously and she pulled her hood closer into herself and stumbled towards an alleyway that she knew led to another avenue. She was almost there when the herald made another call. 

“If anyone sees the squire Rey Kanata, the woman almost executed, bring her to Lord Ren immediately!” She gasped and pulled the hood so low she almost couldn’t see and scrambled into the alley way, almost falling in her haste. She heard more yelling from the herald but she ignored it, needing to get away.

Once on the avenue she saw an almost bored looking brown horse tied to a post and looked around, not seeing any owner. She unlatched it, mounted, and rode harder then she ever had in her life, far, far away from Ben, from the Empire, and from her dreams.


	20. Chapter 20

Rey didn’t stop once, not to eat, not to sleep, or to rest. She rode through the day and night, racing away from her broken heart and shattered dreams. Her chest beat to the steady movement of the hoofs of her stolen horse and after a day the sobbing finally stopped and she rode in steely silence.

Her face felt raw and sticky from the tears that had dried there, and her head hurt from the crying, the pounding, and the lack of sleep. But she still didn’t stop.

She didn’t let herself think. She couldn’t. If she did the tears would start again and she wouldn’t have the strength to keep going. She needed to get away. It was all too much.

After three days the landscape shifted into the familiar deep green and rich browns of her chosen home. More tears threatened to fall as she breathed in the smell of damp moss and old trees. But her eyes wouldn’t produce anything more and they felt dry and itchy as she rubbed at them harshly. 

She continued to push thoughts out of her head as she rounded a familiar corner and suddenly the dilapidated and crumbling yet endearing image of manor Takodana appeared in view and she couldn’t hold it back any longer. The tears fell freely again as she sobbed into her horse’s neck, thundering down the lane home.

Through the haze of tears she saw Maz working in the garden. Maz looked up when she heard the canting of the horse. She brushed her hands on her apron and walked into the road and waited as Rey rode up. Rey practically fell from the horse into Maz’s arms, almost collapsing to her knees. Maz caught her around the shoulders and held her as Rey sobbed into her shoulder.

“Rey?” Maz spoke, confused. Maz’s voice sounded so sweet, so lovely after so many years without hearing it. It brought on a fresh wave of tears and Rey’s body heaved as it tried to rid itself of all of her hurt and pain. It felt good and horrible at the same time, cathartic and depressing. She cried until she couldn’t cry anymore.

*

“Well, that is one hell of a story.” Chewie rumbled as he stroked his beard. Rey sat in front of the fireplace with a blanket around her shoulders, staring blankly into the flames, her eyes and cheeks puffy from crying. 

It had been difficult, but after a few hours of stumbling and overwhelming moments, she was able to get everything out. She wasn’t sure if she felt better or worse. “I’m going to kill him.” Chewie admonished. Maz must have shot him a look because he coughed and said, “Um, Rey... there’s something I need to tell you.” She slowly turned her head to look up at him, sitting in the armchair with Maz on the couch next to his chair. He was avidly avoiding eye contact, studying the flames in the hearth very intensely. 

“Uh... I know Ben.” He said slowly. She gave him a bewildered look. “His father was a knight, and he wanted a partner, but not a squire, and he and I had done some jobs together before he was knighted and such. We were good friends for a long time and... I knew Ben as a boy.”

He finally glanced up at her and she looked at him with wide eyes and he sighed. “If he didn’t tell you about his family then there’s a lot he didn’t tell you about his childhood.” She looked at him expectantly but he shook his head. “But that’s not my story to tell.” 

They sat in silence for a long time, each one staring at the flames as the fire slowly dwindled into coals, glowing red hot, and fading dimly into black ash.

*

She slept terribly, the first time she had slept alone, well the first time in only a few weeks, but it had felt like an eternity. She awoke stiff and cold, and her movements felt rough and labored as she dressed and headed out to the stables to start the chores.

Maz found her a while later and tried to convince her to rest, but Rey just shook her head and kept working. If she stopped she thought too much so she kept moving, hoping it would distract her from her own thoughts. 

In the afternoon Maz threatened her with a spade, telling Rey she had to rest or she would make her. Rey’s lips almost smiled and she conceded to go on a walk. She wandered aimlessly until she found herself upon the same hilltop she had sat on as she conceded to her new life as a lady. 

She laid down on the grass and looked up to the sky, cloudy with small patches of blue. Grey clouds were on the horizon, but she still had until dark before it would break. There was a slight breeze and she drew her cloak tight around her as she closed her eyes against the sunlight that refracted off of the clouds. 

Her hair was getting longer, she hadn’t cut it in awhile and it was almost past her shoulder blades. She had only been able to grow it out that one time and she realized she would get to be able to do that again. It would be beautiful like that. But for whom? For herself, she told herself firmly.

She didn’t know how long she laid in the grass, her mind blank as she breathed in, and out, concentrating on the movement of the clouds, and the branches above her swaying in the chilly breeze. The sky was rapidly losing what little of blue it had and the grey was taking over, growing darker and more ominous. 

She would need to head home soon. She closed her eyes against the sky and shivered as a rough breeze ruffled her cloak and swept her hair around her face. She reached up a hand to smooth it back, mussing up the strands. She took another deep breath when she heard horse hooves. She assumed it was Chewie coming to fetch her so she wouldn’t catch a cold in the storm.

She sat up slowly, shaking out her hair and looked up and froze. Ben was riding towards her on Silencer, his face pale and sallow with deep bags beneath his eyes. His hair was disheveled and his clothes were splattered with mud.

His horse crested the hill as she scrambled to her feet, not knowing what to do. His face was stoic and hard and she swallowed, not knowing how to explain her disappearance. His horse was just about to approach her when without waiting for Silencer to stop he flung himself off and tackled her to the ground.

“AH!” She screamed as they fell and he spun so that they hit the ground rolling until they were side by side on the grass. “Ben! Get off—“ She was about to yell at him until she noticed he was shaking and her shoulder was wet. He was sobbing into her hair. 

“Rey, I’m so sorry I’m so so sorry, Rey, please, please.” He cried as he crushed her to his chest making it difficult for her to breathe. “I came as soon as I could, I swear, I swear.” Sobs wracked his body and Rey wound her arms around his shoulders to hold onto him tightly.

“Rey please forgive me, please, please, I need you.” He whispered into her hair and sniffled, his sobs starting to slow down as Rey started to play with his hair, running her fingers through his tangled strands, doing her best to smooth them down. She moved her lips near his ear.

“Ben why didn't you tell me?” She whispered, her voice breaking a little. He buried himself deeper into her shoulder and shook his head back and forth slightly.

“I tried Rey, I wanted to but I was just so—so nervous. I didn’t want you to want me for my title, I just wouldn’t have been able to handle it.” He said through broken sobs. Rey drew back to look into his face, but his eyes were downcast. She lifted her hand to his chin and tilted it up so she could look into his eyes.

He conceded, and looked at her, eyes still full of tears, full of hope, full of fear. “Ben, I love you for so many reasons, and your title doesn’t change that in any way.” His eyes darted across her face, and she smiled gently at him. His face broke into a smile at the same time that he sat up, bringing her up with him.

He held her hands and fresh tears fell as he looked at her. “Rey, I love you, I— I love you so much, I need—“ He stood up, still holding her hands and pulled her to stand in front of him. He grabbed her face in his hands and rested his forehead against hers. 

“I don’t want to do anything without you Rey. Everything is meaningless without you. Please—“ He heaved a deep sigh and dropped his hands from her face to hold her hands. And then he fell to kneel in front of her. “Rey, sweetheart, I need you, I have nothing if I don’t have you and I don’t want to live unless it's by your side. Please please let me be by your side forever. Please allow me to follow you anywhere you go. I—“ 

He continued to cry and she held onto his hands tightly as the sky darkened and the air turned heavy. “I want you to be my wife, I want to have children with you, I want to give you anything you could possibly want, please Rey, please let me do that, please let me love you.” He half sobbed as the sky broke and rain started to sprinkle from the sky.

She placed two fingers against his lips and he stopped his monologue. She smiled at him so widely her eyes were almost closed and tears leaked from the corners. “Ben,” Her voice broke and she spoke through her sobs, “I just want you. Just you.” She cried softly as she smiled at him and the light rain started to moisten her hair and her shoulders.

“Rey, please please marry me?” He asked her. His face was open and so full of hope and happiness, she thought her heart might burst with the amount of emotions running through her body. She started to shake and her tears and sobs were intermingled with giggles and hiccups, unable to stop the strong flow of feeling. 

“Yes Ben, of course,” She choked out through a sob, her throat constricted. “I love you so much.” She smiled through her tears as he rose to his feet, wrapping his arms around her waist to hoist her into the air.

“I LOVE YOU REY KANATA!” He yelled into the rain drenched sky as he spun her around, the rain pelting her face and her arms.

She threw her head back and laughed, “I LOVE YOU BEN SOLO!” She screamed into the air and they laughed and cried and spun until they were both soaked to the bone, from the rain and from their tears.

*

Ben lifted her onto Silencer and held her close the whole ride home, whispering sweet things in her ear, about how strong and beautiful she is and how much he loves her. She leaned into him and smiled even as the rain pounded against them, growing harder as they rode. 

They reached the manor as the sun disappeared. He led Silencer into the barn and when they entered, she saw BB tethered up against the post and she gasped, flinging herself off of Silencer and running to BB. 

“You brought BB, oh I didn’t know if I’d ever see him again!” She cried as she hugged him around the neck, running her fingers through his mane. Ben came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, content to hold her while she held onto BB. After a moment he pulled her towards the door. 

“Come on” He murmured in her ear, “Let’s get you dry.” She allowed him to lead her out of the barn and they held hands as they ran across the courtyard and into the kitchen. They stumbled across the threshold laughing and she stopped short when she saw Maz standing by the table, arms crossed. They both stepped inside and righted themselves. They stood there silently, waiting for Maz to speak.

“So I take it you found her.” She said to Ben. He nodded to her. “Well, come eat, you both look like death.” She motioned towards the table where she had put out some soup and bread. Rey went to sit but Ben didn’t move. 

She looked back at him and then forward to see Chewie had appeared in the doorway to the hall, staring Ben down. Ben gulped and spoke. “Hi Chewie.” Chewie just continued to glare at him. After a few terse moments of silence he finally spoke.

“You’re an idiot Ben.” Chewie growled. Ben looked down. “And you’ll tell her. Tonight.” Ben looked at him with wide eyes, and Chewie glared at him so hard that Ben nodded almost imperceptibly. “And if you hurt her again I will not hesitate to kill you.” 

Ben gulped and nodded again. “And Ben,” Ben looked up at him, looking slightly afraid. “I love you.” Ben’s eyes widened as Chewie moved forward and pulled Ben into a giant bear hug. Rey laughed as Ben was enveloped by Chewie, his face squished against Chewie’s chest, trying hard to breathe. 

“Let him go you big brute he can’t breathe.” Maz chastised him and Rey continued to giggle, even as Chewie let go of Ben. She even may have seen a single tear trace down his cheek.

*

Ben held Rey tight as they laid in bed and he told her about his childhood. Alderaan had long been destroyed by the time he was born. His parents had met fighting the Empire but had ultimately been unsuccessful. They pretended to acclimate back into the Empire but in reality his mother had secretly been leading a rebellion for years. 

“She was always gone, always on some crusade, or in some kind of negotiations, I hardly remembered being around her as I got older. I was raised mostly by tutors and nurses.”

He nuzzled his head into her shoulder and held her tighter. “When I turned thirteen she came home to tell me that she was sending me to train to be a squire under my uncle Luke. I was expecting to be sent to Coruscant but they refused to send me to the Empire. I wanted to be a legitimate knight but they wouldn’t listen to me.”

“So they sent me away, barely knowing me, to some jungle in the middle of nowhere. My uncle made me do all kinds of ridiculous things meant to help me become some sort of selfless perfect knight.” He scoffed. “We clashed and I told him that I was leaving. That his methods were useless and that I’d never become what I was meant to be under his tutelage.”

“We fought, badly, and— and that night he—“ He seemed choked up and Rey squeezed his arm. “He pulled a sword on me, while I was asleep, Rey.” He let out a small sob and she waited for him to calm down. “He tried to kill me.” 

“Oh, Ben.” She turned in his arms to hold him close, “I’m so sorry.”

“Rey... don’t—I...” He swallowed and seemed to gear himself up for something. “I left and went to Coruscant without telling them anything. I was so angry for what they did. And when I got there, Snoke kept me close, he groomed me as his successor, as he had no progeny of his own. He convinced me that my parents didn’t deserve me, that they didn’t love me if they had so easily sent me away.”

“He convinced me to hate them. And I did. It was easy. When I was knighted... they somehow found out and... they came, to see me. Snoke told me and I told him to not let them in. I refused to see them, I sent them away.” 

“Rey, I hadn’t seen them since I was thirteen. I had multiple chances and I refused each time.” He hung his head and a sob escaped his body. “I found out two years ago that they died. I’ll never see my parents again because I was a terrible son. They probably died hating me.” He was shaking in her arms and Rey’s heart broke for him. She caressed his cheeks, stroking them lightly. 

“Do you really think they hated you?” Rey asked.

“I don’t know Rey, I don’t know.” He shook his head and she ran her thumb over a fallen tear. 

“It’s okay Ben, you don’t need to know, it’s okay.” She whispered to him “But I’m sure they died loving you with all their hearts.” She continued to pet his cheek softly as he slowly relaxed and they both drifted off into sleep, safely in each other’s arms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come be my friend on [ twitter ](https://twitter.com/mae2d2) !


	21. Chapter 21

“BEN!”

Rey woke with a start, the events of the past few days coming to the forefront of her mind. Ben bolted up next to her, smacking his head into hers.

“Ow!” 

“Ah, Ben!” They clutched their heads and he started to laugh and she let out a giggle before she remembered what had woken her up. “Ben! We have to go! We have to get to Scarif! They need us!” She threw the blankets off and tried to scramble out of bed, unsuccessfully because Ben had grabbed her around the middle and held her to him.

“Rey, sweetheart, stop, it’s okay.” She tried to get out of his arms but he held her still. “Rey, calm down, stop.” He said firmly and she finally stilled in his arms.

“I already sent an army to Scarif.” He told her. She looked at him.

“What?” She asked quizzically.

“I already sent— here, let me explain.” He let her go and held her hand in both of his. “The moment you leapt off that platform I tried to follow you. But then I saw Lord Tarkin exit on the balcony and I knew no matter how badly I wanted you, I couldn’t let him take over as king. He’s a ruthless man who loves power and control. The Empire would stay as it has always been, or worse, and I can’t let anyone else grow up like you did Rey. I couldn’t let that happen.” Rey opened her mouth to speak and he held up a hand asking her to let him finish.

“You obviously saw what happened, you know my heritage. I was already in line behind Snoke, and the armies are familiar with me and my leadership. I was able to take control of the Empire and the army fairly easily. I entered into talks with the dukes and earls in the line of succession and negotiated quick terms for the interim.”

He sighed, running a hand down his face. “I’m king for the time being, until we can figure out a more permanent solution, with the stipulation that I attend meetings with dukes, earls, viscounts and barons from all over the Empire for their opinions. So, I sent an army to Scarif, sent orders for all knights to cease colonization measures, and placed an emergency council in charge and left to find you as soon as I could get out of there.”

“A council? Seriously?” Rey almost laughed. He rubbed the back of his neck looking sheepish.

“Yeah... not one of my brightest ideas. But it was the only thing I could think of” He said. Rey perked up.

“No, I think that’s really interesting. Do you think it would work long term?” She questioned eagerly. He looked thoughtful.

“It might. We’ll have to see how it goes.” Ben said. Rey smiled and Ben scooted closer to her on the bed, putting his arms around her and resting his forehead against hers.

“Now, I think you owe me for waking me up so abruptly.” He smirked, looking up at her through his lashes. She scoffed and tried to shove him off unsuccessfully.

“I don’t owe you anything.” She said, her chin held aloft and eyes half closed in mock arrogance. He laughed and his gaze turned dark.

“Remember, I can take whatever I want.” He gave her the most devilish smirk and she gasped and whacked his shoulder.

“Ben! I still can not believe you said that to me!” She cried indignantly when suddenly he tackled her onto the bed, reaching his hand down to tickle her stomach. “Ah! Stop it!” She giggled as she tried to get out of his grasp. He just continued to laugh as she struggled, and started to pepper her face with kisses as she laughed along with him.

Suddenly the door swung open and they sprung apart from each other, looking up. In the doorway was Mitaka, looking equally shocked and mortified, wearing a tunic with the emblem of the Empire on it over chain mail. He opened and closed his mouth a few times and then finally choked something out.

“L-l-lord Ren, your presence is requested... immediately.” Mitaka tried to not look at them but was blushing furiously at their state of undress and the fact that there was only a small bed in the room and they had obviously both slept there.

“Mitaka?” Rey asked incredulously. His hair was slicked back perfectly and his armor looked impeccable. He was a neat guy, but this was extreme. The last time she had seen him, she was a boy and he did not know her secret. She wondered how many others now knew about who she really was.

“Lady Rey.” He nodded at her, his face still red and avoiding eye contact. 

Ben snatched his tunic from the floor and stood up while lifting it over his head, ignoring their exchange. “What could possibly be so important to interrupt me when I specifically said that no one was to come here!?” He growled and the Mitaka visibly gulped. Rey felt bad for the poor fellow and almost winced in sympathy.

“I—I was only advised to find you sir and to tell you that it is extremely urgent.” He stood with his back ramrod straight, averting his eyes almost comically. Rey had to hold in her laughter remembering that this was typical Mitaka behavior. Ben looked murderous. He waved his hand at him.

“I’ll be there. Leave us.” Ben spit out and Mitaka scurried from the room and shut the door behind him. Ben slumped onto the bed looking annoyed. Rey laughed and he looked up at her. Now that Mitaka was gone he looked like a kicked puppy with his pouty lips and big eyes. She was going to make a sassy remark but then realized that their little bubble had burst and her heart sank into her stomach. She had to let him go.

She wanted to cry, scream, and thrash that she wasn’t ready to give him up yet. But instead she schooled her emotions, preparing herself mentally to say goodbye. He had a much more important job to do than to be with her. She heaved a deep sigh. 

“You should go Ben.” His pouty expression changed to confusion and then annoyance. That caught her by surprise.

“Rey, you’re coming with me.” He said deeply and with a note of finality. She sighed and rubbed her eyes.

“Ben, I can’t... I was almost executed, I’m a traitor—“ He stood up and put his hands on her shoulders and on his face was a look so fierce it would make any squire cry.

“Rey. Snoke is gone. I am the king, and whatever I say goes and you will be safe.” He told her firmly. She shook her head, he didn’t understand. 

“No one will accept me, Phasma is barely respected but only because she became a knight. I’m just a squire, and nothing will be available for me. My best chance is to stay here and lay low.” She tried to convince him but he just frowned at her.

“No.” He said bluntly. She startled.

“What?” She asked, confused.

“No. You’re wrong. I’m going to change things. We’re going to change things.” He said firmly, staring at her expectantly. She looked up at him.

“What do you mean we?” Her voice was small.

“Rey, I’m not leaving without you, and consequently, I’m not ruling without you. I want you by my side, ruling, fighting...” He sighed and ran one hand through his hair, “I was planning on asking you today in some kind of grand gesture.” He waved his hand around and continued, “But here we are.” He squared his shoulders and grabbed her hands. “I want you to be my co-regent.”

She was baffled, “Um, excuse me? Ben, that’s— that’s not even possible.” He stood up straighter and his eyes were dark. 

“I am king, so yes it is. Rey,” He ducked his head down so it was close to her. “I need you. You already agreed to marry me, I need you for this too. Please.” She was shocked and sputtered.

“I—I’ve never done anything like thi—“

“I haven’t either!” He interrupted angrily. “We’ll figure it out together, we’ll be fine together I promise.” He assured her but she was shaking slightly. He brushed some stray hairs behind her ear with his fingers and trailed them down her cheek. “I need you Rey. I love you. I won’t be able to do it without you.”

The look he gave her was so sincere her walls broke down and her defenses lifted. She sighed and lowered her head.

“All right.” She breathed out, and suddenly the breath was knocked out of her as Ben scooped her up into his arms, squeezing the breath out of her. “Ah! Too tight!” 

Ben laughed and spun her a little before putting her down on the ground. “You’re going to be the greatest Queen.” He whispered against her forehead. She flushed and laughed nervously. 

“I don’t kno—“ He kissed her hard and then backed away looking at her with a mock glare.

“I won’t hear any self- criticism.” He pointed at her with a stern finger. She opened her mouth to say something and he kissed her again. He murmured against her lips, “Or I’ll have to take drastic measures.” She felt him smile against her mouth and she smiled in spite of herself. He really was so ridiculous. 

She cupped his cheeks in her hands and pulled him down for a sweet kiss, that he deepened. His tongue traced her lips and she opened for him. His tongue moved against hers languidly and she felt giddy from the intimacy of it. They stood there holding each other, exploring each other’s mouths for a few moments before Ben broke away, panting. 

“We need to stop or we’ll never get out of here.” He laughed breathily and Rey grinned. She collected her things and he pulled her out the door.

*

After a very lengthy goodbye with Maz and Chewie, Rey and Ben mounted their horses and Maz gave her a very knowing and exasperated look after Rey apologized for not staying. They rode down the dirt path until it turned into the main road. It wasn’t long before they came upon a spot in the woods that housed a few tents. Ben had explained that a detail of protection and advisors had accompanied him and would stay with him for the next while until the Empire was settled. 

They rode up into the camp and dismounted as a familiar looking red headed man emerged from an open sided red and black tent. Through the sides she could make out makeshift chairs and a table made out of chopped logs, obviously taken from the forest around them. A few men ran up to them to take the reins of their horses and led them away.

The redhead nodded tersely at Ben. “Lord Ren.” He eyed her warily before turning back to Ben and Ben’s mood immediately soured. 

“Sir Hux, may I introduce you to Lady Rey, my co-regent.” He said pointedly and loudly, drawing the attention of all the men that were bustling around the camp. A few stopped and stared, but most had the decency to pretend to be doing something else while they listened in. Rey wanted to shrink into herself but held her head high, not wanting to show weakness.

Hux seemed shocked but quickly masked it. “Lady Rey.” He drawled, giving a small bow and turned to walk towards the tent. They followed and settled on the logs, along with a few other men that Rey didn’t recognize.

Hux cleared his throat. “I’ll get right to it. The Hutts were informed of the army advancing on Scarif and has sent an army to meet them. The two armies are expected to meet at Bothawui in a few days time. Reports say the Hutts have amassed an army of about ten thousand of their own people. What’s worse, they’ve recruited villages and hamlets that have been mistreated by the empire to fight for them.”

Rey looked over at Ben to see him looking at the floor with a steely gaze. He looked up at her and she nodded at him.

“We need to leave now.” He stood up sharply. “Break camp!” He yelled and the men around the circle of tents sprang into action. He turned back to Hux. “We’ll discuss plans on the way. Any word on the arrival of knights?”

“A few closer to the capital have arrived but we are still waiting on the majority of them. I believe they won’t hear the news, let alone come to our aid before the battle is over.” Hux said truthfully.

Ben just nodded, his jaw clentched. “Many of them are off in the outer rim. It would be too much to expect them to get there in time. Our troops will be ready.”

Rey cleared her throat slightly. “Have negotiations taken place?” Hux and Ben looked at her scrutinizingly.

“No, they haven’t.” Hux said blandly. She narrowed her eyes. If she was going to be a co-regent they damn well weren’t going to treat her like her opinion didn’t matter.

“I hate them as much as anyone, but perhaps we can stop some loss of life. Perhaps we can strike an accord. Or delay until we get there.” She suggested, crossing her arms. Ben nodded, straight faced and looked at Hux. He looked at him and seemed to relent under his stare.

“I’ll send the falcon.” Hux conceded. He strode away calling for the falconer.

Rey turned to Ben and leveled a glare at him. “If I’m doing this you need to respect my ideas even if they’re naive. I’ve never done this before.” There was a small upturn to his lips, before his face became stoic once more. 

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” He said with a small nod of his head. Rey gave him a sharp nod and walked away to go find Mitaka. She spotted him near Hux and she caught his eye so he would walk over to her. Once Mitaka was out of sight of Hux he broke into a huge smile and raced over to her. She threw her arms around his shoulders and he hugged her tightly back.

“Mitaka! It’s so good to see you!” She smiled into his embrace. He let her go and grabbed her shoulders.

“Rey, I’m so relieved to see you. I was in the square for your execution. I was making my way forward to do something when Ren killed Snoke. And then the crowd was too insane to move anywhere. I wouldn’t have let him kill you Rey, I hope you know that.” He looked into her eyes fiercely. 

Mitaka had always been shy, but he was a good and loyal friend. Rey gave him a watery smile.

“Thank you Doph. Are you surprised?” She gestured to her body awkwardly. He let her shoulders go and laughed a little.

“You know, I was at first, but looking back I guess I can kind of see it. But you really did do a good job Rey, no one had any idea.” He assured her. She blew some air threw her mouth.

“Phew, well that’s good to know. I’m sorry I lied to you all.” She said with a frown. 

“It’s the only option you had. I understand.” He gave her a reassuring smile and she hugged him again.

“Thank you. I’ve missed you all so much.” She let him go and he gave her a small smile. He grabbed one of her hands in both of his and squeezed it.

“Well, we might all be reunited again soon. What with this all happening.” He waved his arm around gesturing to all the men packing up the tents and loading the horses. 

“Rey!” Rey whirled around to see Ben calling her and striding towards them. Mitaka quickly dropped her hand, bowed and backed away quickly, almost stumbling over some roots in his haste. 

She turned and crossed her arms against her chest as Ben walked towards her, but his eyes were on Mitaka, glowering at him. He stopped in front of her and finally noticed her own stormy expression. His face softened somewhat.

“What?” He asked innocently. She rolled her eyes and glared at him.

“There is no need to scare away Mitaka. We were in the same group at the academy. He’s one of my greatest friends and you need to be kind to him.” She said annoyed, and he frowned.

“He was getting too touchy.” He mumbled. She sighed heavily and turned to walk towards BB.

The men had attached the last of the supplies to the horses. Rey strode over and grabbed the reins and made sure everything was secure. Just as she was about to mount she felt a hand on the small of her back and turned to see Ben standing stoically behind her.

She eyed him and looked down at his hand pointedly. He quickly let go, looking at her, a question in his eyes. She sighed. “I think we should keep it quiet. For now.” She clarified when he looked a little crestfallen. “And I’m perfectly capable of mounting on my own.” She glowered at him as she hoisted herself up. 

She looked down at Ben who was looking up at her fondly, albeit a little confused. He said quietly with a slight shake to his head, “Oh, I know.” He winked at her and he walked away, leaving her blushing slightly and thinking about how she likes when he teases her


	22. Chapter 22

The journey from Takodana to Bothawui was generally a three days ride through dense forests with thick foliage that didn’t emit too much light. It was generally very rainy in Takodana, which turned to snow as they rode through the mountains. Luckily they had hit a dry spell and the ride was cold yet comfortable. There was only a light dusting that barely covered the fallen leaves. 

Along the way they heard that the Hutts had refused to negotiate with anyone but the King, and had commenced an attack the next day. 

They rode hard, stopping to rest for only a few hours and to continue on again. On the last day of the journey they reached a fork in the road and took the left fork. Ben looked at Rey and nodded to the right. 

“Down that way is the land of Naboo. My grandmother grew up there. The castle there, Varykino, belongs to me.” He looked at her with soft eyes and she smiled at him, admiring the way he was bundled in black fur. 

He rarely brought up his family, and she didn’t know much about them except for the very few memories he had given her a few days ago. He’d get around to telling her more about them one day. “I’d like to take you there.” He smiled and she nodded eagerly, excited about the prospect of being alone with Ben, somewhere without duties, war, politics, and everything else that was determined to keep them apart. 

“The land is beautiful, green with flowers all around. And the lakes are warm and clear. I could actually teach you how to swim this time.” He offered, the tips of his ears turning red slightly and his black gloved hands tensing nervously around the reins. She suppressed the urge to giggle at his shyness and how he had ‘taught’ her how to swim in Scarif.

“I would love that.” She couldn’t help but smile wide at him, even when a soldier passed them by and gave her a funny look. Sometimes it was too hard to not smile around Ben. She loved the way he made her feel. Loved, cherished, adored, respected. 

She thought about telling him so, when a flurry of hooves sounded from far off and suddenly an Imperial messenger and his horse emerged from the dark wood, cantering towards them. 

Ben held up his hand, signaling for the company to stop, and the horses whinnied and stomped, pawing the dirt nervously as the rider approached their party, puffs of air coming from their noses, all the more vivid due to the biting cold. 

“Lord Ren, I was sent from Bothawui to tail a group of Hutts traveling southwest. I have reason to believe they somehow knew of your location and are planning to ambush you along this road. I passed them by a small village just down the mountain of Vandor. They are on their way here.” He said quickly, his heavy breathing coming out in puffs in the frigid air. He reached for a canteen attached to his saddle and drank liberally while waiting for Ben’s response. 

“Sir, Vandor is just up the crest, they will be upon us in less than two bell tolls.” Hux warned, looking more peeved than afraid, sitting up straight in his red and black leather coat with a high collar. Rey looked up at the snow capped mountain. They had been slowly increasing in altitude the last two days. Vandor was just before the last stop on the road before it dipped back down into the land of Bothawui, which would hopefully be much warmer.

Rey shivered beneath her dark green kid cloak. It covered her down to her knees and she had thrown on all of her layers to ward of the cold. She tightened her gloved hands around the reins, glad they weren’t going all the way up to Vandor. Vandor was generally cold, with deep snows and biting winds. They weren’t quite to the top of the mountain where she spotted white along the topmost ridges. Their position on the mountain was filled with green pines as far as the eye could see, dense enough to obscure the light above and around them.

“Lord Ren, might I suggest we meet them head on? They’ll be no match for our skill.” General Veers said haughtily, a middle aged man who Rey was already starting to dislike. Ben turned towards the scout.

“How many in number?” Ben asked the young spy, quieter than those around him, but no less impactful. His voice had a way of making itself heard no matter what volume he chose to use. 

“Around twenty five my Lord.” The scout informed him, gulping a little. “But they may have picked up more in Vandor. I’m not sure.” Ben’s face was hard, staring at the ground, deep in thought. 

“That’s only a little more than double our number. Nothing any of us can’t handle.” Veers stated smugly, puffing out his silver breasted cloak. He wore a gaudy black hat that Rey thought made him look ridiculous. 

“I don’t want to risk lives needlessly.” Ben said slowly, voice quiet yet firm. He looked to Rey and with his eyes asked her opinion. She looked around at their surroundings, an idea forming. 

“What if we surprise them?” Rey inquired of Ben, also making eye contact with Hux. She didn’t want to seem to be leaving him out of her deliberating. He seemed like a stickler for protocol. Ben nodded at her to continue and she took a breath and began.

“The foliage is dense. We could set up camp, maybe even leave a few soldiers beneath as a ‘guard’. The Hutts, hopefully, will think it as an easy take, and we’ll drop down from above. We could catch them off guard, and even the odds a little.” She shrugged, hoping her plan didn’t sound too far fetched. It had worked for her when she had been on the run. Dropping down onto someone’s head was a great way to knock them out quickly.

Veers scoffed but Ben held up his hand to silence him. “Has that worked for you?” Ben inquired, looking curious.

“Yes, many times in fact.” She said with a small smile which he almost returned. She knew he would want to hear about that later. 

“It is decided. We’ll set up camp outside the village to make it seem like we went to town for supplies.” Ben commanded and the company was on the move. They thundered down the road, needing to beat the Hutts to the meet point. 

They found a suitable clearing, big enough for their supplies, yet dense enough for tree coverage. They set up camp to make it more realistic, then one by one walked around, pine needles crunching under their boots as they each picked a tree and started to climb. Rey chose a taller one towards the edge of the clearing, hoping to take a rest before the fighting began.

She nestled herself against a high branch where no one around could see her. She went to close her eyes when she felt the tree around her shake. She looked down to see Ben climbing up towards her, his eyes dark and jaw clenched. 

She smiled and slid back on the branch a bit to make room for him. He stepped up next to her and straddled the branch with his back to the trunk. He then grabbed her waist and pulled her into him so she was practically in his lap. Her legs felt stretched open and she realized how close her cunt was to his cock. If only they weren’t wearing trousers.

He unclasped his fur cloak and drew her into him to wind it around them both. He attached it behind her neck and then wound his arms around her waist and she rested her hands on his chest, leaning her forehead onto his shoulder and sighing in relaxation. 

“Tired?” He asked, squeezing her waist slightly. She nodded against him.

“Mmhm. Don’t sleep as well without you.” She admitted quietly, blushing slightly. “So cold.” She shivered for emphasis, her mouth in a little pout.

“Well, you could just marry me now, then we wouldn’t have to deal with this.” He said and she looked up to see him smirking. She rolled her eyes at him. 

“I told you, I want Maz and Chewie there. And hopefully Finn.” She said and he sighed in exasperation. 

“But I want you.” He whined like a little child. 

“You can still have me Ben.” She said in a low voice. His eyes sprang up to hers and she looked up at him through her lashes. The way her legs were stretched out and the way he was holding her, heat was already starting to build, her pussy getting wet and feeling woefully empty and open. She wanted him. 

She rolled forward on the branch, thrusting her hips into his. The moment they met they both groaned and Ben grabbed her neck to smash his lips into hers. It was wild and desperate, both of them driven by an intense need that had been denied for too long.

“I haven’t had you since the first time.” Ben growled in her ear, sucking on her neck angrily while she whined and grasped at his shoulders. “I need to fuck you Rey.” He bit her earlobe and she yelped slightly. “I need to put my cock in your pussy before I go crazy from wanting you.” He was panting heavily now, lips and teeth nipping at any flesh that was available. 

“Oh Ben.” Rey practically purred, feeling incredibly flustered and hot. “I’ve been dreaming of you for days now.” He groaned at that and she sighed at the way she could affect him. “I need you in me, I need your cock. My pussy feels so empty without you.” She whispered to him, hoping the whistling of the wind and the whining and pawing of the horses was enough to mask the noise of their coupling.

“Don’t worry my darling, I’m going to fill you so good. I’m going to split you open on my cock and you’re going to be nice and quiet about it.” He spoke in her ear reverently, winding his arms underneath her cloak to fondle her breasts with his hands, massaging her nipples oh so sweetly. 

“We don’t have much time Ben.” She breathed, eyes closed and grinding her hips into his erection. She could feel it straining against his trousers. 

“Are you ready?” He asked, reaching his fingers down to stroke her cunt still covered by her trousers. “Maker, you’re already wet.” He sounded surprised and delighted, pulling her face in with gloved hands eagerly to kiss her hard, sucking in her bottom lip before backing up. 

He reached both hands down to hook into her trousers and started to pull them down. She gripped the branch with her knees tightly and lifted up just enough so he could pull them down to her knees. She stayed like that, not wanting to lower her bare bum onto the rough bark.

“Ben, hurry.” She whimpered, her legs shaking from the effort. He fumbled with his trousers rapidly, pulling them down just enough to pull his cock out, rock hard and ready for her. She hovered her hips over his and he lined himself up at her entrance. She took in a deep breath, wondering if it would hurt just as much as it had last time.

She steeled herself and then lowered down just enough to take in the head. The second it entered Ben groaned obscenely, eyes closed and mouth open in a face of ecstasy. 

“Fuuuuuuuuck.” He groaned, his hands bruising her hips in his vice like grip. “I will never get over this. Can you take more darling? Can you take all of me?” He said, coming undone with lust as she shuddered around him.

“Mmhm.” She nodded valiantly, straining hard not to cry out in pain or pleasure, she wasn't sure yet which one, just knowing that she wanted more of it. She gripped his shoulders hard and started to lower herself inch by inch, sliding down his velvety cock, feeling him stretch her walls, split her open practically in two. She moaned loudly and he reached up a hand to cover her mouth.

“Gotta be quiet my love. Don’t want all these men knowing that you’re being fucked by your king in a tree.” He said a little condescendingly. Rey knew it was an act. And she kind of liked it. She nodded frantically, batting her eyelashes for him and looking sheepish. A lion during the day but a lamb in the dark.

He nodded for her to continue and she started to move her hips in slow little thrusts, moving back and forth against him, his fur cape sliding across her shoulders. He clenched his jaw and tried to suppress a groan, lying still underneath her until he couldn’t control himself any longer.

“I’m gonna control you now, okay?” He asked, rather politely for a man who was fucking her in a tree. She wanted to laugh but didn’t want him to feel bad.

“Do whatever you want to me Ben.” She whispered. He didn’t need any more instruction. He grabbed her hips, lifted her up and slammed her back down onto his body. She keened above him as he bounced her up and down his cock, half elated from the pressure and half terrified of falling. 

His hips were tilted up to receive her better, and she kind of felt like she was riding a horse. She brushed the front of her pelvis against his, chasing that same feeling from last time. It was growing in her core, widening throughout her whole body. Her only thought was to reach that precipice and go over it. 

“Rey!” Ben groaned, eyes shut tight and panting heavily as his seed spilled inside of her. His hips started to slow but she continued rubbing herself against him, seeking more friction. His hand snaked down and he placed his palm over her mound and started rubbing frantically. “Come on Rey.” He panted, his forehead pressed against hers. 

It took about another minute or two but soon she felt her body fall into that sweet blissful feeling. She shuddered against his hand and held on to him tight. Her limbs felt loose and she was half afraid of falling just from how relaxed she felt. He slipped out and she rolled up her trousers, securing them around her hips.

They panted in unison, slowly winding down as they descended together from the high, holding on to each other braced against the tree. She looked up and around, admiring the sphere of brown and evergreen that surrounded them. They were caged in from all sides by endless pine needles and twisting branches that left small gaps, enough for little patches of sunlight to burst through the canopy. 

Birds were chirping around them and Rey admired the beauty that surrounded her for a moment before it would inevitably be lost to bloodshed. Her nerves picked up when she remembered what was about to happen. As much as she was used to the fighting and their duties, it made everything no less daunting. 

She backed away from their embrace and Ben leaned back against the trunk, breathing deeply out of his nose. He had a small smile on his face, looking a little blissed out. He hadn’t looked this relaxed in days. Or maybe ever. She dared to think of a future where they could be together in a simple way.

Maybe when this was all over they really could get married. They could live somewhere isolated and beautiful. They could even have a family. She could see him like this every day, happy and at peace, without an Empire weighing on his shoulders. 

“What are you thinking about?” Ben interrupted her musings and she looked at him. He was eyeing her, unsure whether to be wary or not. He tucked himself back in his trousers and tied them up. 

“Just the future.” Rey replied, not sure if she was ready to share her vision with him. She wasn’t sure what he wanted yet. His eyebrows furrowed and he made to comment when they heard the telltale signs of an impending ambush.

Horses crashed through the foliage and their riders yelled battle cries when the camp and guards came into their view. She scrambled to a lower branch and peeked through the growth, watching as they closed in around the camp. She looked over to see Ben perched on a lower branch near hers. She waited with baited breath, watching him as he poised to spring.

The riders reached their circle of trees and with a swift leap, Ben was dropping onto the head of one man that was holding a double bladed axe and wearing a crude leather cape. The man yelled in pain as Ben knocked him from his horse, the rest of the assassins yelling in surprise and fear. At Ben’s signal, Rey leapt from the tree, aiming at a smaller rider dressed in mismatched leathers and holding a spiked club.

She landed feet first onto his back, forcing him from the saddle and onto the ground. He scrambled to get up and she whacked him upside the head with her sword before he could get halfway off the ground. She looked up to see the rest of their company leaping from the trees, some landing on their targets, and a few landing beside them.

Either way, their surprise had succeeded, and they made quick work of the remaining would-be assassins. The majority went for Ben, hoping to at least succeed in their mission in its most important aspect. However, Ben fought with a calm fury, his steps almost like a slow dance, as he knocked men unconscious, falling in a heap around him. 

He didn’t yell or roar like he normally did. His face was stoic, like a calm sea, but with a rage underneath that when unleashed, was deadly to all who dared approach him. She watched as he finished with the last man and then straightened slowly to glance around him, making sure everyone else was alright. 

He looked at Rey, his hard eyes softening as he took her in for a small moment before turning to Hux and Veers.

Veers walked over to the pile of unconscious bodies and scoffed in disgust. “Barbarians. Let’s just kill them and be done with it.” Rey shot her eyes up to Ben who was frowning. He waited a moment, deliberating, and then spoke.

“No. Let’s get these men to Vandor. I’m sure they’ll have use for some prisoners.”

Hux nodded once and Rey strode over to tie up their wrists and ankles as the soldiers started to grab the men one by one and load them into the wagon. Veers looked on in annoyance but didn’t say anything.

When the job was finished she mounted BB, grimacing as the dampness in her underwear stuck to her thighs, and vowed to herself to carry extra underwear around for now on.

As they returned to the road Ben sidled up next to her. “So when can we get married?” He asked and she just laughed.

“Ben!” She giggled, trying to hide it behind her hand.

“What?” He asked in mock confusion. He just laughed along with her. “How about when we get back to Coruscant?” He asked and she cocked her head. 

“As long as my family is there, I could care less when and where it happens.” Rey remarked, brushing the hair on BB absentmindedly, completely missing the devious smile on Ben’s face. 

*

They arrived at the green rocky plains of Bothawui on the dawn of the second day of battle. 

The sun rose over the rolling hills as their horses thundered closer to where the battle was reported to be actively waging. That morning, Rey had tried to secure her hair in her usual tight ponytail at the nape of her neck, but Ben had insisted that she use her three bun hairstyle. 

She tried to explain that she didn't want to be seen as a woman, but he wanted everyone to see just how capable she was as who she was. She grumped about it but did it anyway. 

He assured her that she didn’t need to secure it tightly as Veers had been clear that they were not to join in the battle, only lead from the rear. Ben seemed to be alright with that, but it didn’t sit well with Rey. She squared her jaw and stayed silent while they discussed strategy.

They crested a hill that was bathed in a golden light that blinded her vision slightly. She covered her eyes but didn’t stop BB from continuing up the slope. Once atop the hill she looked down into a valley that housed thousands of red and black tents with black flags whipping in the wind. Hundreds of people were milling about, but it seemed the majority must be at the battlefield. Horses and people were entering the camp from the other direction, carrying what must be the wounded.

They rode down the hill and entered into the part of the encampment with larger and newer tents. Pages and aides rushed out to meet them, grabbing horse reins and unloading supplies from the wagons and horses. 

They dismounted and an aid led them to a striped tent that contained stacks of crates and trunks. 

A few pages entered the tent after them and grabbed two large trunks, heaving them up and over to Ben and Rey respectively. Hux handed the oldest page a wrought iron key and the page inserted it, springing the lock open. They started to unload piles of chain mail, armor plates and leather straps. 

Rey tried to avert her eyes but failed miserably as Ben stripped out of his fur cape, coat and tunic, exposing a little bit of his tummy, and leaving him in only his undershirt. A page handed him a chain mail shirt and he donned it carefully. He looked over at Rey and gave her a slight smirk. 

“They’re waiting.” He motioned with his head and she noticed the pair of pages waiting next to her with a trunk she’d never seen. 

“You brought me armor?” She asked, confused as the pages opened the trunk. She peered inside to see a beautiful set of silver white armor and matching chain mail. She gaped at the contents as the pages started to unload it.

“I had it made for you and brought here.” He said as pages fluttered around him, placing armor plates and tying and tightening leather straps. 

“Had it made for me? What poor blacksmith was forced to work for four days straight? Ren!” She glared at him and he just stared at her blankly. The pages handed her the chain mail that was nicer than anything she’d ever owned or really ever seen. 

“It was a team.” He said evenly. She removed her cloak and donned the chain mail, allowing the impatient pages to finally start placing the plates of armor. 

“You could have just brought me something already made!” She yelled at him, annoyed that he had obviously spent a lot of credits on something unnecessary. 

“You needed well fitting armor.” He said, still showing no emotion. The pages attached a black cape to his back and he was finally able to move. Well fitting armor indeed. Rey couldn’t take her eyes off of how handsome and strong he looked. He towered over the pages around him. She had a strong urge to fling herself at him and climb up his body to take his face in her hands and—

“Can you turn?” A page interrupted her runaway thoughts. 

“Oh, yeah, sure.” She turned and looked up to see Ben giving her a look that showed he had known exactly what she had been thinking. His eyes were dark and hungry as his gaze raked over her body. She glared at him.

“This isn’t over.” She pointed at him sternly and he just turned to exit the tent. The pages finished and she walked out after him. The armor moved like a dream. It was lightweight and fit her beautifully. “How does this fit so well?” She asked him incredulously, examining her forearms as they walked to their horses.

“I gave them your measurements.” Ben said, keeping his eyes ahead on the aides waiting for them. 

“How did you know my measurements?” Rey asked, slightly confused.

“I’m not going to answer that.” Ben replied cooly. She felt her cheeks heat up, embarrassed at his suggestion. They reached their steeds and he mounted Silencer in one fluid motion. She hopped onto BB and they were off.

They rode to the outskirts of the camp and around towards the direction of the battlefield. As they drew closer they heard the sounds before they saw it. She heard distant yelling, the clash of metal on metal, the neighing of horses and the screams that could only be attributed to the dying.

Rey had been in plenty of fights, she had seen bloodshed, but she had never been in battle. She had never seen bloodshed like this. They rounded a hill and looked down on the fight raging below in the enormous valley.

Their horses pawed nervously at the ground as she, Ben, Hux, and their company stopped to survey the scene from atop the hill.

Dead and wounded were lying everywhere, some trying to drag themselves away from the fight but being attacked in the process. The soldiers were wearing Empire black armor with red tunics and the Hutts were wearing really anything they could get their hands on. Some had armor, some had chain mail, but most were wearing thick leathers and furs. Their incoordination didn't seem to matter. Their weapons and tactics were brutal. 

As she was surveying the field, she heard a yell that reverberated around the entire field. She whipped her head around and saw a giant boulder flying through the air and landed among the ranks of the Empire, hitting a few men and killing them instantly. She swiveled her head wildly, looking for the source of the flying rocks and saw a giant wooden contraption among the ranks of the Hutts.

Ben must have just noticed it too because he swore under his breath. “What the hell is that?”

“I have no idea.” Hux sounded, for the first time she had heard him, shocked. 

“Fuck.” Ben whispered. He kicked his horse and they rode down to the bottom of the hill which housed the command tent. It was a black open sided canopy with an empire flag atop it, and inside housed tables full of papers and all sorts of figurines. 

As they approached a multitude of pages sprung forward to grab their reins and they jumped off their horses and strode into the already crowded tent. The men looked up at their entrance and many shirked away as Ben strode up to the table. They seemed to cower away as they bowed their heads as Ben walked by, but were quick to lift them up to eye her warily. 

Her hair was a dead giveaway, and it was obvious that the men were extremely confused as to her presence, even more so that she was wearing armor with a sword at her belt. Ben reached the table and stepped into the space the men had created and stepped to the side to make room for Rey, which she reluctantly filled. 

The table was silent as the men gathered around looking from one to another, slightly perturbed until Ben cleared his throat.

“Would someone please enlighten us on the state of the battle before all our men die?” He said haughtily and the men sprang into action and explanations. Rey did her best to ignore the yelling and screaming and tried to pay attention to the numbers of wounded, dead, enemies, the tactics they had used, intelligence reports. They had tried to send an emissary to negotiate but he had been captured, and they refused to negotiate with exception of the king. 

“When we’re ready, we will send you with the kings seal so they know you are the king.” And older man pulled a golden ring out of his pocket and placed it into Ben’s hand. Ben slipped it into the pocket of his trousers silently and they kept talking.

They told them about the contraption, apparently called a catapult, and their engineers were having a hard time replicating it, and couldn’t get a close enough look. 

They then launched into a series of advisable next steps, mostly suggesting to wait until evening when the battle would be over to send Ben when it would be safe. Rey looked out onto the battlefield and watched as man after man fell to an enemy sword.

“Why don’t we send him now, stop the carnage while we can? Perhaps we can reach an accord to avoid more bloodshed. At least for today.” Rey said loudly and the quiet that then commenced was enough to suck the confidence out of her. A few men looked at her, and then just as soon as they silence started, it stopped and their talking commenced. 

She looked up at Ben as the men continued to argue and his face was blank as he only partially turned towards her, but his attention was then pulled away as another man addressed him. Rey frowned and looked out at the battlefield. 

Maybe she was being rash, but she felt for those fighting for really no purpose currently. They had a way to stop it and they needed to do it. She waited a few moments, wondering if she was really going to do this. 

She steeled her nerves and waited for a moment when everyone was talking over each other again and focused on a specific map. She reached her hand over and slipped it into Ben’s pocket, looping the ring around her finger before pulling it out and into her fist. She clasped her hands behind her back without looking down, trying to look interested in the map that was being studied. 

Ben seemed to twitch slightly at her touch but luck was on her side, and someone had just called his name which distracted him. After he had finished another conversation she tilted her head towards him and whispered. 

“I’m going to find some nourishment.” He nodded imperceptibly at her and she snuck out easily, no one really noticing her departure. She headed to BB, pretending to look through the attached satchel as she eyed the tent. She waited for Ben to look engrossed in something and she subtly untied BB from the post that a multitude of other horses were attached to. 

She would need to ride away quickly to get past the pages fast enough before they could scare BB. Although, they didn’t know she wasn’t supposed to leave. She saw Ben look up and over at her and she held up some bread from her satchel with a small smile. She couldn't see his expression from that far away but he seemed mollified so he turned back to the group.

It was now or never. She patted BB’s hide to get him into motion and leaped onto him so he was already running when she settled into the saddle. She trotted past the pages and they swiveled their heads but only looked mildly confused as she broke into a gallop. She heard Ben’s yell as she crossed the back line of soldiers, but he was too late.

She galloped through the standing ranks and then into the lines of battle. The terrain was rocky and full of miniature hills and bumps, with bodies strewn everywhere. There were a few other soldiers on horseback and a few came to challenge her as she neared the lines of the Hutt army. 

She needed a way to show that she just wanted to talk. She looked around wildly and noticed a white scrap of fabric trampled into the ground. She thundered past a body on the ground and grabbed the spear planted into his chest and pulled it up with a sickening noise. She tried not to throw up as she neared the white fabric, stabbing it and lifting it into the air while turning her horse sharply in another direction. 

A Hutt horseman came up to her and she dodged his first swing. She didn’t have anymore arms, one holding the reins, the other holding the flag. In her moment's hesitation, the man slammed his club in to her shoulder, denting the silver armor and sending a sharp pain down her arm.

She retaliated by raising her leg and kicking him in the ribs. His horse stumbled back as he fumbled with the reins, trying to regain control of his horse. She used the tip of her spear to slash at the binding of his saddle, scaring the horse in the process. .

The leather snapped and saddle and rider together slid off the horse and crashed to the ground. He yelled and tried to get up but she was already on her way. She had no interest in finishing any fights but the main one. 

She looked into the distance at the middle of the Hutt ranks and spotted the tell tale fat men atop their equally fat horses, surveying the battle. She squared her jaw and rode towards them, dodging attackers, not pursuing any fights. She saw one of the Hutt leaders point at her and so finally she reached into her pocket, slipped the ring onto her middle finger and held the flag high, making sure the ring was clearly visible in front.

It glinted in the sun and she saw the leaders pale and then sneer as she rode forward. She heard a horn blow behind her and a few moments later another horn blew in response to that one. The fighting started to slow down and she was allowed to pass through their ranks and she finally stopped in front of a row of three Hutt men. Two she didn’t recognize, one was Ziro.

She hoped he wouldn’t recognize her, but squared her shoulders against her fear and stared them down, her head held high. BB pawed at the ground, turning a little in his nervous state. She didn’t take her eyes off the men.

“We are ready to discuss terms.” She said coldly and loudly. She flashed the ring at them and they whispered to one another. Just then, Rey heard approaching hoof beats and she whipped her head around to see a giant envoy of Empire soldiers, with Ben at the head, looking as stony as ever, his eyes leveled on the Hutt leaders.

His horse strode up next to her, he nodded to her and turned back to the Hutts as Silencer padded at the ground. The wind whipped Rey’s hair and a few strands fell free of her buns and slashed across her face.

The battlefield had fallen into silence and all the noise that remained was the crack of whipping flags and the moans of the dying on the ground. She resisted the urge to look back and kept her eyes on those in front of her. 

After what seemed like an eternity, one of the men finally spoke. “We recognize Lord Ren as the King and agree to discuss terms.” He pulled his reins to the side without looking at Rey at all and the three men turned to ride towards the edge of the battlefield accompanied by a small group of advisors and soldiers. 

Ben looked at her finally, his face unreadable. She wasn’t sure how he felt about what she had done, so she looked at him stonily and kicked her horse to follow after the Hutts. Ben followed and their envoy did as well. Hopefully her gamble would pay off at least a little bit, but she didn’t have as much hope as she wanted, they were the Hutts after all.

*

It turns out the Hutts were hell bent on refusing almost any terms. They were determined to control Scarif and would burn anything to the ground that got in their way. However, they did agree to break for two days time to confer and perhaps draw up new terms before they would go to battle again. 

Rey sat in her tent alone. Ben hadn’t said much on the way back, and then a page had asked if she would like to retire and she quickly agreed. Ben had looked upset but she needed to get away for a little while. 

She let her hair down and splashed some water on her face, unsure of what to do next. Surely the advisors would be livid with her, and no one would respect her because they only saw a brash emotional woman. No one knew she was a squire, except for those who happened to be in her year, and who knows if they would even recognize her. 

She sat hard on the narrow bed and held her head in her hands and sighed. Why did she think this was a good idea? She should have stayed in Takodana. Or continued to be a boy. No one would respect her as a woman. She looked over to her armor, sitting in the trunk that the pages had brought over, and remembered the large dent it had procured from being hit in the shoulder.

She’d need to get it fixed or the binding could snap at an inopportune time. She sighed and stood to take it to the smithy. She thought about putting her hair up, but everyone had already seen her, and her head was aching so she let it fall. She stepped out in just her tunic, trousers, boots and arm wraps holding her armor and looked around for smoke.

She eyed some large fires a ways away near the soldiers’ tents and she made her way in that direction. Her small black tent was next to a much larger one that she assumed was Ben’s. He might be in there, and she slowed wondering if she should talk to him... No, she’d talk to him later. She continued on past tents with strong fabric and richly colored designs that must belong to knights and other military advisors. After a while the lodgings became smaller and dingier, as she entered into the section of soldiers.

The crowds thickened as she moved into the heart of the camp and the men started to notice her. Some just glanced at her curiously and then looked away, and some stared unabashedly, a few nudging their friends and whispering things to each other. 

She came up to the blacksmith’s station and the large sweaty man gave her a questioning look. She held up the armor.

“The shoulder is dented and the binding could snap. Could I get it fixed please?” She asked, trying to keep her voice steady, like she was meant to be there. He raised on eyebrow but reached out to take the armor from her. He looked it over and without looking at her spoke.

“What’s a pretty lady like you doing here? Your husband’s armor?” He asked, motioning to her breastplate. She shook her head.

“No, it’s mine.” She said a little awkwardly. A few other blacksmith apprentices were looking at her and some soldiers had stopped near by to not so subtly check out what was happening. She wanted to roll her eyes but kept still. 

The blacksmith grunted, almost like a laugh. “What you have armor for? Why’s it dented?” 

“One of the Hutt soldiers hit me with a spiked club.” She said. He looked confused. “During battle.” She emphasized. At that he looked even more taken aback. “Today. While I was fighting.” The man wiped the sweat form his forehead and looked at her with new eyes.

“Who are you?” He questioned, seeming deeply curious. She opened her mouth to answer when someone yelled behind her.

“Rey!” She turned around to see Snap running towards her. She smiled and he pulled her into a big hug, smacking her on the back, laughing all the while. “I heard Lord Ren was coming and I assumed you’d be here!” He let go and stepped back, still smiling, then noticed her hair. “Wow, Rey, your hair is really long.”

Her heart sank. He didn’t know. She was wearing her breast band so it wasn’t overly obvious yet. Would he hate her? She already felt extremely uncomfortable what with the whole blacksmith shop watching their interaction, along with a multitude of bystanders. She rubbed the back of her neck, a habit she had picked up from Ben she just realized.

“Um, yeah, about that. I assumed you would have heard...” She trailed off, her face starting to turn red. 

Just then the Blacksmith took the time to unhelpfully butt in. “Wait, you a man?” Snap looked at him like he had two heads.

“What do you mean is he a man? You are out of line old man.” He looked furious and Rey placed a hand on his arm. He swiveled his head to look at her and his eyes widened when he saw the fear in hers.

“Ah Snap. I wasn’t quite truthful with you all. It— it was the only way for me to become a knight. It’s something I wanted so badly.” She said quietly, so hopefully only he could hear, but too many people were quieting around them to listen. Snap’s eyes were almost comically huge and his jaw was practically on the floor.

“Oh maker. This whole time? A girl?” He asked incredulously.

She laughed breathily, a little awkwardly. “Well, yeah, that’s kinda how it works...”

“Well, yeah, I know, just... damn, Rey. That’s insane.” He seemed at a loss for words and Rey was too, but the blacksmith seemed to be too invested in this to leave them alone.

“You a squire? A woman?” He asked and the whole group of spectators seemed to be on edge.

She nodded slightly. “Well, technically... yes.” Snap seemed to drop out of his stupor and he frowned. 

“What do you mean technically? You are a squire. And a damn good one.” He looked at the blacksmith still holding her armor and he glared at him. “You better get started. He— She’ll need that tomorrow. She’s a damn good fighter.” He crossed his arms and stared down his nose at the blacksmith who hurried to bang out the dent.

Snap turned back to her. And she smiled at him in gratitude. Just then she heard a snide voice behind her.

“So you’re the bitch that Snoke tried to kill.” She turned to see a knight she didn’t know glaring down at her with his arms crossed against his gaudy purple tunic that rested over his silver armor, a long sword in his scabbard. He was around Ben’s age, but not anything like him. He was a little shorter but still tall and burly with perhaps a conventionally handsome face. Probably one of those men who could get any woman he wanted and prided himself on that fact. She frowned at him. 

Snap’s face turned thunderous and he walked forward towards the man. “That is out of line. You ignorant son of a—“ 

“Snap.” Rey grabbed his arm and he looked at her as she pulled him back. She looked then man dead in the eye. “Yeah, I’m that bitch.” She flipped her hair behind her shoulder. “And I’m not dead now am I?” 

The man’s expression turned from haughty to murderous. It made him look ugly and she relished that. 

“And obviously only because Ren saved you. You must have some tight pussy.” He spoke coldly and the crowd around them erupted into a mix of jeers and outrage. Snap shot forward and Rey grabbed him around his waist to pull him back. 

It was difficult but she held him still until he calmed down and she could let go. “You don’t know anything, she’s one of the greatest fighters I’ve ever seen.” Snap practically yelled at him. He just sneered.

“Well well, looks like the little slut made her way around the academy. Got all these men vouching for you.” He laughed and Rey’s blood boiled. This jerk would just not give up. What was his deal?

“Actually, no one knew I was a girl until about five days ago so, no.” She said simply. He wasn’t perturbed. 

“That doesn’t mean anything. If you’re so good, then why don’t you tussle with me?” He looked at her lewdly and his innuendo was not lost on her. She opened her mouth to retort when the crowd of bodies circling them parted swiftly and Ben strode into the circle looking like he was going to smash the man’s skull. 

She didn’t want anyone fighting for her so she spoke up before he could say anything or get farther. “Fine, I accept your challenge. I’ll duel you right now.” She called out at him, grabbing the attention of the entire crowd and causing Ben to stop in his tracks. “If I win you have to leave, and you will be stripped of your title as a knight. No self respecting man would ever talk like this to anybody.”

The man smiled cruelly at her, not paying attention to Ben. “And if I win, I can do with you as I please.” Rey wanted to punch him right then and there and when she looked at Ben he looked about ready to rip the man limb from limb. She grit her teeth and looked the man dead in the eye.

“I accept.” She said through her teeth. Ben looked at her, opening his mouth to stop her and she held up her hand to stop him. She looked back at the man. “How about now? I’ve got nothing better to do, and I’d love nothing more than to see you disgraced as soon as possible.”

The man scoffed and unclipped his cape from his armor, and pulled out his sword with a swift motion, the sound of metal on metal screaming through the air. The circle that had formed around them started to back up until they had formed a makeshift dueling arena. The blacksmith came forward with a different set of armor. 

“I dunno if it’ll fit ya, you only have yer breastplate here.” She just shook her head at him.

“I won’t need it.” He looked confused but nodded and backed away. Snap turned to her with his hand on his sword hilt.

“Do you need a sword?” He asked. She looked around the blacksmith’s makeshift shop and saw some barrels that stored weapons. She looked for what she wanted when Ben appeared next to her with a staff.

“No, but thank you.” She said to Snap as she smiled at Ben. He handed her the staff with the tiniest uptick of his mouth. He may be annoyed at her for putting herself in danger, but he trusted her. And if he was letting her do this, he must know this knight, and is confident that she can beat him.

She heard whispers around her about him being twice her size, and how this fight isn’t fair. She smiled to herself. What they don’t know is that she’s been fighting groups of large Hutt barbarians for a while now. This’ll be easy. 

“Sir Motti, you still have a chance to renounce your challenge. I would highly suggest you do so.” Ben addressed the man with an air of superiority. Motti just smiled coldly. 

“And give up a chance to bed your whore?” He shook his head condescendingly and Rey had had it. She walked lazily into position, swinging her staff around in her hand. She stood across from him wearing just her tunic, trousers and arm wraps, while he was fully armored.

But that’s just how she would want it. He would be slow and easy to overcome. She considered drawing his pain out or finishing him quickly. Hmmm. He smirked at her and her decision was made. 

A man to the side held up a flag and looked to both of them, they both nodded at him and he dropped the flag. Rey sprinted forward and a little too late, Motti brought up his sword to swing. Before he could get it near her she brought her staff under it, lifted his arm up and kicked him square in the chest.

His armor absorbed most of the blow but she just wanted to put him off balance. He stumbled back clumsily as she brought her staff around and swung at him, smacking him right in the head with a loud thwack. 

He immediately crumbled and collapsed on the ground, unconscious. The crowd was deadly silent as she righted herself, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. She walked closer to Motti who started to stir on the ground.

She twirled her staff and butted the end into his neck and leaned on it slightly, waiting for him to come to. When he woke he blinked and he looked up at her, confused, and then his eyes widened with fear, and then hatred. The crowd had still not moved.

“I hope you’ve learned to not disrespect your regent. Or any woman for that matter.” She pushed the butt of the staff a little harder into his neck and he wheezed slightly. “Now get out of my sight.” She said to him, cold as ice. 

She looked over at Ben who was standing there slack jawed. She noticed that there was a growing hardness in his pants and she almost laughed. She walked over to him, handed her staff to him with a smirk, and turned around to walk away from the crowd, perhaps swaying her hips a little more than completely necessary.

*

Ben found her in her tent and proceeded to absolutely maul her. She was pushed up against one of the supporting wooden poles and his hands were everywhere, all over her body, while his lips tried to taste and lick at every bit of flesh he could on her neck. 

He continued to suck on the column of her throat while he growled into her ear. “I am so angry with you... but damn you’re the most enticing thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.” His words made her moan as he groped at her ass cheeks.

He ground his erection against her and groaned when she pushed her hips back against him. 

“Are you wet for me sweetheart? Do I affect you as much as you affect me?” He whispered silkily into her ear and her eyes were rolling into the back of her head at how good his body felt and how sinful his words were.

He was gyrating into her at an astonishing pace and his hands flew from one part of her to the next, seemingly confused as to where they wanted to stay. “I want you Rey, I need you now.” He whined. 

He kissed her fiercely and shoved his tongue down her throat and she welcomed him gladly. She felt powerful like this. She usually did when he was panting for her. Her victory filled her soul with a sharp pride, willing her to dominate in any way she could. 

She pushed him back roughly and he backed off immediately, his face flushed and panting heavily through his nose. She pushed on his pec with one hand until his legs hit the bed and he sat down hard.

She climbed into his lap and ground her hips against him and he moaned loudly. She giggled breathily. She felt so powerful. “You know, he called me your whore but I really think it’s you who are the whore. You’re a whore for me Ben.” Her words were as soft as velvet, dark like the night as she stroked his face with her nails. 

She didn’t know this Rey or where she had come from but she liked it. Her defiance in battle, her utter defeat of Motti, the looks she received as she crossed the encampment, all made her feel powerful, beautiful, unstoppable. She felt like for once she was in control and Ben admired her for it. She wanted to reward and ravage him at the same time.

He was nodding frantically and holding her eyes. “Yes Rey. I’m a whore, just for you.” She got up from his lap and he whimpered at the loss.

She raised her eyebrow at him and made a twirling motion with her finger, gesturing for him to turn around. “On your hands and knees.” He did as she asked and she climbed up onto the bed kneeling behind him. She reached for the front of his black leather trousers and untied them to pull them down below his hips. 

With one hand she fondled his balls and with the other she stroked his cock. He groaned and rocked lightly back and forth, his ass rubbing against her hips, hitting her clit beautifully.

“Who do you belong to Ben?” She asked, sweetly.

“You.” He groaned. She suddenly let go of his dick and brought her hand down onto his ass cheek with a sharp crack. He growled and she admired the red handprint on his backside. She massaged it and said softly.

“You have to be more specific Ben.” 

He groaned. “You, Rey, I belong to you.” She continued to massage his balls and brought her hand back to stroke his cock.

“Who does this belong to.” She squeezed his cock hard and he whimpered.

“You Rey, my cock belongs to you.” She stroked it faster and he groaned again. “Rey... I want...please...” 

“What do you want, my love?” She asked him as she ground against his ass and stroked him harder.

“You!” Ben cried and then yelped as she spanked him again. 

“Be more specific Ben. What do you want?” She asked him sweetly, massaging his ass cheek again.

“I want to be inside you, please can I?” He sounded so undone that she had to oblige. She was on the edge of something and her vagina felt open, pulsing frantically and she wanted nothing more than for him to be inside her.

“Then take off my clothes Ben.” The minute she said that he whipped around to face her. He grabbed her tunic and yanked it over her head, his mouth immediately latching onto her nipple and sucking it into his mouth as he fumbled with her trouser ties.

He untied it and shoved them down her legs as she brought his tunic up and over his head. She pushed him on his chest so he laid down on his back and she climbed into his lap. His cock was almost standing straight up and she lined herself up and lowered down onto the thick length of him. They groaned in unison and within moments they were both frantically humping each other.

She rode him almost violently, and his hands were gripping her hips so tightly it felt as though it might bruise. He was thrusting up into her brutally as she thrust down onto him and they both cried out at how good it felt. 

“Oh Rey, you’re so tight, so wet. Oh fuck I can’t, I’m going to—“

“Ben come, please, come, I’m going to too—“ She was surprised at how fast the feeling was coming on, and she cried out when her walls fluttered and felt like a heat rushed through her. “BEN! Ah! Ben oh fuck, oh fuck Ben!”

He fucked up into her and then practically yelled, “Rey! Ah fuck Rey!” And let out a strangled moan as he came, and then finally slowed down and she slumped down onto his chest, their sweat mixing together and his spend starting to trickle down her thighs. He brought his arms around her and lazily massaged her ass as their breathing slowed down. 

“I’m still mad at you for that stunt you pulled earlier.” He mumbled, sounding sated and too happy to really be mad.

“Are you mad or are the ugly old men mad?” She asked, and he chuckled softly. 

“I guess just them. You make it impossible for me to be mad at you.” He kissed her temple and she snuggled deeper into him. “I think they’re more furious at the idea that you made the decision without them. The decision itself was fine and probably saved a lot of lives.” 

She smiled against his chest and then remembered something she had thought of earlier that day. “Ben, do we have someone who can deliver a message for me? To Coruscant?” 

“Yeah we do. We also have a messenger hawk that can travel to Coruscant in less than a day. What message do you need to send?” He asked while rubbing her back.

“You’ll see.” She smiled.

*

She arrived four days later, after another failed attempt of negotiations and one more bloody battle. Rey spied the black carriage and waited along with Ben and Hux as it rolled up to the encampment. 

They had dispatched the royal carriage for her and when it stopped in front of their little greeting party, an imperial guard hopped down from the front to open the door for her. Out stepped a short girl with beautiful black hair, smiling brightly at Rey. 

“Rose!” Rey ran forward and enveloped her in a hug. 

“Oh Rey, it’s so good to see you! I was so worried for you when I heard the news.” They leaned back to look at each other. “Now look at you, co-reagent, almost a knight.” She looked at her fondly and Rey blushed. 

They let go of each other and Rey led her over to Ben and Hux. “Rose this is Lord Kylo Ren.” Rose curtsied and eyed Rey with a question in her eyes. Rey just smiled and Rose winked. “And this is Sir Armitage Hux.” Rose turned towards Hux and Rey realized just then how dumbstruck he looked. 

Rose looked equally taken aback and Rey resisted the urge to giggle. Rose curtsied and Hux bowed, probably the lowest Rey had ever seen. And then, as if the world couldn't surprise her anymore, Hux reached out to grab Rose’s hand and kissed her knuckles daintily. 

“It is a pleasure to have you here Lady Rose.” He righted himself and let go of her hand slowly, almost reluctantly. Rey smiled at the two and grabbed Rose’s arm.

“Come Rose, we have much to discuss.” The walked away arm and arm, not daring to look back as the two men watched them walk away, the pair of them looking like love stuck fools.

*

They had set up another cot in Rey’s tent at her request and the two girls sat together and talked and giggled. Rey told Rose all about Ben, their relationship, and filled her in on everything she had missed since she had left Coruscant. 

Rose told her about another boring courtesan season, electing to study in her spare time when not under the watchful eye of tutors. 

“So, tell me about this secret assignment.” Rose asked eagerly. 

“It will be fairy dangerous Rose, and when I tell you, I will not be upset at all if you don’t feel comfortable. So please, don’t feel any pressure.” She looked at Rose and she nodded, perhaps a bit skeptical.

“The Hutts have created a contraption that can throw gigantic boulders into the air to crush our soldiers. None of the engineers have been able to figure it out, and no on has been able to get a close enough look. We’ve sent spies but they won’t allow any men close enough.” She looked at Rose and her friend looked extremely curious, probably about the contraption more than anything else.

“I got this idea from a while back when I when to a masque and acted as an escort to receive information. I know the Hutts bring in women from the nearby city to their encampment.” Rose looked a little sick and Rey quickly added, “They also bring in women to wash and to cook. Perhaps if you could gain access to the camp, you could get close to the contraption. They wouldn’t worry about you looking at it, because well... you’re a woman. They don’t think we’re a threat.”

She looked up at Rose and she had a manic gleam in her eye which brightened Rey’s spirits. “They’re ignorance will be their downfall.” Rose declared and Rey and Rose laughed at the stupidity of men.

*

They met with Ben and Hux and a few other advisors in the strategy tent and explained their plan to the group of reluctant men. Hux’s scowl seemed to get deeper and deeper as they continued. When Rey finished none of the military advisors spoke up for a few moments. 

“How can we trust this woman? Women don’t know engineering. She’ll just get herself found out and killed and our truce will be broken.” Veers said brashly and Rey almost winced at his harsh words. Rose, however, was not having it.

“Do you know how a carriage works sir?” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. He just stared back and didn’t say anything. “How about a drawbridge? Do you understand the system of pulleys and chains that operate metal gates in front of strongholds? Or perhaps you know how to correctly construct a building crane?”

The man continued to stare blankly at her and she continued. “Have you read the Elements of Engineering written by Sir Kilian? How about Construction of Cities by Sir Galen Erso?” The room was growing increasingly more awkward but Rose didn’t seem to give a damn. Veers just continued to glare at her, refusing to answer. “No? Surely you’ve at least read To Build a Barn by Sir Lars?” 

She waited for him and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Um, no, m’Lady.” She uncrossed her arms and picked at an imaginary lint speck on her dress.

“Then do not presume to tell me that I don’t know anything about engineering when you sir know absolutely nothing. Any other questions?” She looked around the room and all the men looked down and around to avoid her gaze. She smiled to herself. “Good. Hux?” 

His eyes had been on her the whole time and he formed an actual smile, probably the first that Rey had ever seen. “Yes Lady Rose?” 

“I’ll need peasant clothes, and some papers and kohl for sketches. Perhaps a list of fake references if you think that necessary.” He nodded at her and she smiled. “Good, now if you gentlemen would excuse me, I have work to do.”

And with that she strode from the tent, not looking back, with her head held high. Rey followed behind her, trying desperately to keep a straight face as the men around the room looked like they wanted to sink into a hole or perhaps throw up or both


	23. Chapter 23

Rose had estimated about three days to gain access to the catapult and to sketch it. However, Rose on a mission is a force to be reckoned with, and was able to finish within a day and a half. She arrived back at the encampment with detailed sketches and already barking orders for supplies, workers, and engineers.

Rey spent most of the days in the command tent, going over reports and strategies. Both sides seemed to have needed a break and they hadn’t fought since before Rose had come. The Hutts were still refusing to accept any terms of negotiation and the advisors were calling for drastic measures. The armies were too evenly matched and there was a possibility they could lose. 

“We need to make a show of our strength! If they overcome us no one will respect the Empire!” An old and frail gentleman pounded his fist onto the table.

“We’ve already stalled too long. It makes us look weak.” Veers sneered.

“I suggest we draw back, let them return home, and then raise Scarif to the ground for their insubordination.” A portly man suggested cooly.

“I say we give them what they want. Let them sell slaves, they are good for work anyway.” 

Rey snapped her head up from the map she was looking at and narrowed her eyes but Ben beat her too it.

“No.” The room went silent. It was not often that Ben spoke at all, and his voice was deep and resonated throughout the tent. “We will not tolerate slavery. No man shall belong to another.” His hand found Rey’s knee under the table and he squeezed it lightly before drawing back. She smiled to herself.

“And I want this to be perfectly clear.” He paused and glared at the gathered men. “I am not Snoke. I may have trained under him, but his ideals are not mine. I will not condone brutality and unnecessary loss of life. Lady Rey and I spent a long time in Scarif helping sailors from Hutt attacks and we will not burn their livelihoods to the ground. Am I understood?” He stared down at the men across the table and they all nodded solemnly. 

“Good, now let’s move on.” Ben sat back in his chair and the planning continued.

*

Rey walked back to her tent, her mind exhausted from too many meetings. Numbers, and names and places swirled through her head and she wanted nothing more than to not have to think. Perhaps if she could find a sparring partner.

She walked to her tent to retrieve her sword and staff and found yet another gift left at the entrance. Ever since her fight with Sir Motti, who had indeed been sent away stripped of his title, she had found gifts and tokens every once in a while outside of her tent. One day it was a handkerchief, one was a wooden carving of a horse. 

Ben had been livid but Rey thought they were funny and kept them. She also happened to get a lot of looks whenever she walked around camp, which wasn’t too often. She mostly stayed in the officers section, but whenever she did wander over to the blacksmith, or the sparring areas, the way that many of the soldiers looked at her made her blush. It was probably because she was the only woman they had seen in days. 

Outside of her tent today was a small bundle of flowers. She smiled and picked it up. Ben would be annoyed, but they were pretty so she put them on the small table in her tent. Rose was busy overseeing construction so Rey grabbed her weapons and made her way to the edge of camp where a section had been set apart for sparring and drills.

It was fairly empty, just a few men sword fighting, and one pair wrestling. She dropped her equipment on the ground and adjusted her chain mail. She wore a thin chain mail shirt under her tunic, just to protect from sword cuts.

“Hey Rey, fancy a sword fight?” She turned to see Snap walking towards her. She grinned up at him.

“Would you like a partner again? Or do you think you can handle me alone?” She joked and he laughed, his eyes twinkling. 

“We’ll just have to see. And we’re using swords this time so maybe I can actually last more than a few swings!” He laughed as he touched her elbow lightly and she laughed along with him. 

“Well let’s get going then.” She turned out of his light grasp and reached for her sword. They entered one of the circles, the grass so packed down and trodden it was basically just dirt now. They both fell into a fighting stance and Snap lunged first. 

They swung and parried, walking around slowly, almost lazily, just enough to warm up. 

“I can’t wait to see Kallus and Vonreg’s faces when they find out you’re a girl.” Snap said as he swung at her side. She dodged back and parried his next attack.

“I’m more interested to know how Krennic took it. Probably almost fainted.” Rey laughed as she stabbed at his flank. 

“I’m sure Ackbar would be proud though. He always had more respect for women than most.” Snap grunted as Rey knocked his stomach. 

“I hope so. I look up to him a lot. I hope he’ll still accept me.” She said breathily as she dodged out of reach of his swing. 

“He will. When do you reckon Ren will petition for your knighting?” He asked, blocking her strike.

“We haven’t talked about it, so I don’t know. What about you?” She kicked at his knee. 

“He said sometime after next Midwinter, if I can win a joust tournament. Not really sure why that’s a requirement though...” He wacked her left arm.

She shook it out as she replied, “Yeah, most knights have the weirdest requirements. It’s all so subjective.” He grunted in agreement and they continued to fight, not talking and concentrating on their forms. 

Once they were silent Rey noticed the people that had slowly trickled into the sparring area. They were standing around talking to each other, but they were generally turned towards their fight, watching eagerly. Rey laughed to herself. She must be some kind of oddity to them.

She felt a little self conscious but tried her best to ignore them. After a few more moments, they reached an impasse and decided to take a rest. She was about to walk over to the barrel of water when a page raced over to bring her a cup. She nodded her thanks and drank a little awkwardly, not knowing what to do with all this attention.

“Lady Rey, will you spar with me?” A soldier, probably about her age came up to her, his eyes bright and hopeful. He was holding a staff. 

“Could I go next?” Another soldier, behind the first, asked around him. Rey tried to not blush furiously, but failed spectacularly as a group of young soldiers, who must be friends, all gathered around her, nodding and smiling.

She looked around and noticed Snap looking a little annoyed. She looked back at them. “I guess it couldn’t hurt. I need to practice anyway and I’ve dueled Snap here too many times to count.” She gestured to him and he smiled at that. The first soldier entered the ring and she grabbed her staff and followed. She spent the next little while dueling him, and then his friend, both with a staff, the crowd getting larger and larger as time wore on.

The crowd was no longer passively watching. They cheered and cried out with each thrust and block, the majority seeming to root for Rey. She smiled to herself and shook her head as she blocked a strike thinking about how ridiculous this was. These men needed a ball or something to entertain them. Maybe she could have someone plan one for them when this was all over.

Just then the boy she was fighting slowed to a stop and she noticed he was staring at a spot behind her with fear in his eyes. She stopped her swing midway and twisted her body to see what he was looking at. Ben was standing at the edge of the arena with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. Rey looked at him questioningly and he stared back at her with dark eyes.

She looked to her opponent, “Mind if I spar with Lord Ren?” Thy boy shook his head violently and backed out of the arena, bowing quickly as he went. Ben really did scare these poor fellows quite badly. She turned back to Ben.

“Would you care to fight me Lord Ren?” She called to him and the crowd was dead silent. He was completely still, until she saw a small twitch of his lips. She smiled and knew he would when he started to move forward. He accepted a chain mail shirt from a page and donned it, grabbing his sword.

Rey went to walk over to her things when a page ran forward with her sword, taking her staff in turn and ran back. She frowned, not really used to all of this help and attention. She turned to Ben who stood opposite her and suddenly he attacked.

They had sparred before during their time together, but mostly it was too keep in shape. This was a fight. He was a little stiff, not having fought for a few day cycles now, which she used to her advantage. She chose to fight in close quarters with him, rendering his long limbs useless. 

He used her closeness as an opportunity to whisper in her ear as she spun around him. “You look beautiful when you fight.” When she finished her turn and faced him he was smirking at her. She started to flush and charged him so he wouldn’t see it. Instead, when he parried her strike he whispered to her again.

“I can’t keep my eyes off your ass.” He swung at her and she dodged it just barely. His smile was deadly and she grunted. His voice was deep and low, quiet enough that only she could hear it over the clanging of metal and the cheering crowd.

“I can’t wait to hold your naked body tonight.” He was starting to loosen up and his strikes were becoming more deadly. She tried to block a few but the impact would shock her arms too much so she had to resort to ducking and dodging.

“I found those flowers in your tent.” He whispered in her ear as she lunged at his side. He parried it away. “I think I need to remind you who you belong to.” She was getting frustrated at his cocky attitude, and getting extremely flustered over his silky words. She scored a few good hits to his chest but she got distracted by his lips that were still holding that annoyingly sexy smirk.

She lunged at him and he grabbed her around the waist, spinning her and held the sword up to her neck. His mouth found the shell of her ear and she shivered as he squeezed her hip with his other hand. “Yield sweetheart.” She waited a few breaths, then stomped on his foot, shot her arm up between his blade and her neck and thrust it forward, sending his sword skittering across the dirt.

She spun around in his arms and looked up at him, leveling her sword at his throat. He slowly grabbed her sword from her hand and dropped it to the ground. She smiled and was about to turn away when the next thing she knew he had picked her up around her waist and had slotted his lips against hers.

Her gasp of surprise was swallowed up in his kiss. She tried slightly to push away but he wouldn’t let her go. She finally leaned into the kiss, and only then did he break apart from her. He smiled down at her and his face was flushed and his breathing was heavy. 

“Now they all know that you’re mine.” He growled. Rey pushed herself out of his arms, trying not to smile, pretending to be mad. 

“Oh, you are so ridiculous!” She whispered indignantly at him smacking his chest. He just smiled goofily down at her. Then his face went stoic again and he looked up at the cheering crowd. She looked around too, most of the soldiers were hollering and throwing their hands up at her, well maybe his, victory. A few look upset.

“Meet me in my tent tonight?” He grabbed her hand and whispered to her, kissing her knuckles softly. She looked back at him with a small smile.

“We’ll see.” she said with a coy smile and walked to retrieve her items from a very angry looking Snap.

*

Rey found Rose at the construction site and Rose waved her over eagerly. She was wearing a tan dress that was covered in soot and wood shavings. There were even burn marks along her sleeves. Her hair was pulled up behind her and her cheek had a black streak of soot on it. 

The sun was setting behind her, bathing the horizon in bright oranges and yellows, the clouds being chased away from the outburst. The ethereal light cast an orange glow onto Rose, making her look like some sort of luminescent goddess of fire.

“Rey! I have an idea I want to run by you.” She pulled her a small ways away from the workers when suddenly she looked down at Rey’s trousers. “Do you have any more of those?” She asked, her face curious.

Rey looked at her bottoms. “Yeah I have a couple, want to try them on?” She looked back up and Rose looked excited.

“It would be so much easier to get work done! I’m always tripping over myself and honestly its a fire hazard.” She rattled off.

“Fire hazard?” Rey cocked her head to the side, eyeing the scorch marks on her dress.

“Oh yes! I was thinking about what to fire from the catapults, then I thought, what if we literally send fire with it!” She waved her hands on the word literally. “I’ve been working with the blacksmith and I’ve found a way to coat the bed so that I can pour oil over the boulders to set them on fire, but it won’t catch fire to the whole contraption!” 

Rey took a moment to take in what she had just suggested, looking at Rose who had a manic glint in her eyes. They could send fiery boulders into the Hutt ranks. Rose was insane. Rose was—

“Rose, you’re a genius!” Rey yelled and hugged her fiercely. Her mind started racing and she knew what to do. “I think you’ve just saved us all.” She gave her a manic smile and Rose beamed back.

*

“What do you think?” Rey concluded as she looked at Ben, who was as passive as always, leaning back in a plush chair, and then at Hux whose face was slightly pinched, like he was thinking deeply. 

They sat in Ben’s tent, a fire spitting embers from a black metal bracket on the ground which was covered in richly colored rugs. The flames cast an orange glow on the black tarps, creating an eerie feel. Ben’s face was illuminated partially by the light, the other half bathed in shadow.

“I think it will work.” Ben replied slowly, then looked at Hux, who was sitting next to him in a straight backed wooden chair. 

“There’s no guarantee that it will deter them. But, none of the advisors have any better ideas and our reports say they are preparing to attack tomorrow.” Hux sighed. “It is a good option.” He nodded at Rose and she beamed at him, causing a slight red tint to color his ears.

Rey had to resist the urge to giggle. She had hardly giggled in her life, but the past few days with Rose, and the past while finally being able to be a girl, the feminine traits were coming out of her and she liked them. She finally felt free, more herself.

“The hour is already quite late, we need to get moving. The majority of the troops are sleeping, so we’ll pick one unit to mobilize. Send Mitaka to inform them to dress in all black and be ready as soon as they are able. Hux, will you oversee the operation with Lady Rose?” Ben had sat up in his chair, and was looking at Hux expectantly.

Hux nodded sharply and stood. “We’ll leave at once. M’Lady.” He held out his arm and helped Rose to her feet. She smiled up at him and he held the tent flap open for her as they slipped out into the night together. Rey watched them go with a small smile on her face, when suddenly she was being scooped up and deposited on the cot. 

“Finally, I have you alone.” Ben growled into her neck, covering her body with his. He held her wrists against the bed and sucked at her neck hungrily. She giggled as he kissed across her collarbone. 

“You made quite the show today.” She looked down at him and he stopped his kissing to look up at her with a crooked smile.

“I had to show them who you belonged to. It was quite necessary.” He nodded seriously and went back to kissing her and started to fumble with her tunic.

“Oh was it?” She asked lazily as she laid back against his pillow, relaxing and rubbing his back lightly.

“Mmhm.” He hummed into the flesh of her stomach as he lifted her tunic up a little to continue laving at her tummy. 

“Well now thanks to you the entire army knows about us.” She grumbled. He just laughed.

“Good. Now those love struck children will stop leaving you gifts and ogling your ass.” He squeezed it for good measure.

“No one is ogling my ass!” She cried, punching the red scratchy quilt that adorned the lumpy mattress. He just laughed and continued rubbing his hands along her body, and spreading lazy kisses along her hip bones. She let out a small breathy moan and he groaned in response. 

“Rey...” Ben moaned into her skin, now glistening from the attention from his mouth and glowing in the fire light. She threaded her fingers carefully through his hair and pulled him up to look at her. 

“Ben... I need to rest.” Rey said quietly, moving her palm to cup his cheek gently. 

“Rest here.” Ben looked at her, his eyes dark, the irises reflecting the sparks flying from the metal grate on the floor. She game him a crooked smile. 

“You know I can’t do that.” She whispered. 

“You’re the regent. You can do however you please.” He told her and she just laughed. 

“We’re not married yet. It’s improper for me to be here.” 

“We slept together in Scarif.” He reminded her. She just scoffed. 

“Yes, well technically I was a boy then, so it wasn’t improper for us to sleep in the same room.” She said and his shoulders slumped. 

“Let’s just get married tomorrow then.” He said as he flopped down on the bed beside her and turned to face her. Rey cackled and tried to keep it down to not draw attention. Ben’s eyebrows scrunched up, confused, which only made her want to laugh harder. 

“My you are impatient.” She held his face in her hands and smiled at him. “I already told you, we’re not doing anything without Maz and Chewie.” His shoulder slumped again and he seemed to admit defeat. 

“All right. But as soon as we’re back in Coruscant we’re getting married.” He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her close into him, and rested his forehead against hers softly. “I don’t want to be without you any longer.” 

Rey let out a shuddering sigh as she closed her eyes and a small tear escaped down her cheek. Ben caught it with his thumb and rubbed the wetness into her flushed skin. 

“What’s wrong sweetheart?” He whispered to her, his nose bumping against hers. A few more tears tracked silently down her face and she gave him a watery smile. 

“It’s just... I— you’re here, and you want me, forever. It’s just hard to believe...” Her eyes were blurred but Ben looked slightly confused. “...That you would stay. That you will keep wanting me…” She looked up at him through her tears and his confusion was turning to anger. 

“Rey, I am not your parents. They were fools for giving you up. I will never leave you Rey. Never.” 

Rey started to weep silently in earnest now and Ben wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly to his chest, tucking her head under his chin. She fisted her hands into his tunic and cried until she couldn’t anymore. 

*

Ben walked close behind her as they made their way back to her tent, which was only a few down from his, but he insisted on accompanying her. She held her arms tightly around her body, warding off the chill of the evening and the shivers from crying. 

Her eyes felt overworked and dried out and her nose was running slightly, but she felt calm, and very much at peace. She looked up at Ben, walking silently at her shoulder. His hair reflected the silver of the moon, his face looking even more pale in the glow. 

The dried grass crunched under their feet and she brushed her shoulder against his chest lightly. His hand came up to rest at her back and he gave her one of his tiny smiles, the ones he wore in case anyone was looking. 

From afar she saw two figures outside her tent and she placed her arm out to stop Ben from moving forward. He looked at her questioningly, and she nodded toward the tent. She could barely hear their voices over the chirp of the night bugs and the sound of fires crackling while the night watch soldiers sat around them talking.

It was definitely Rose, and Hux was facing her holding her hand and with the other brushing a lock of her hair away from her face. Ben laughed quietly and whispered in her ear. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Hux look anything else but rigid in his entire life.” Ben sounded astonished and pleased. Rey beamed up at him and turned her attention back to the two of them. 

Ben was right, Hux’s shoulders were rounded slightly down towards Rose, and his hair was a little out of place. He was even smiling, quite unabashedly as they whispered together. Rey smiled to herself when suddenly Ben broke out of her hold and stepped out onto the path striding towards them. She tried to grab his arm but he was too quick.

She cursed and ran after him as he yelled out. “Hux! Report!” Hux and Rose jumped apart and Hux’s back returned to its rod like straightness. He sputtered a few things, obviously flustered when Ben chuckled softly and clapped him on the shoulder. “You can tell me at the command tent.” He turned to Rose, “I hope he’s being a perfect gentleman.” Ben snickered. 

Rose just gave him a conspiratorial wink. “Only when I want him to be.” She smirked and Rey burst out laughing. Ben’s jaw was practically on the floor and Hux flushed so deeply his skin almost matched the color of his hair. Rose trailed her hand against Hux’s chest lightly, “goodnight Armie.” She smiled at him seductively and then disappeared into the tent. 

Rey continued to laugh at the two startled men. She shook her head and patted Ben on the shoulder. “Goodnight Ben.” She laughed and as she closed the flap she heard Ben say as they walked away, “Armie?!” 

She looked at Rose and together they burst out laughing, too giddy to fall asleep for awhile, and then, too nervous to sleep really at all. 

*

The day dawned grey and cold, the sky seemingly swallowed by a colorless void. The greens on the hills and valley seemed less vibrant and that mood was reflected in the soldiers. They marched toward the battle field rigidly and silently, none confident in the odds of victory. 

Rey and Rose had kept their plan a secret to avoid any leaks to the Hutts, but it was hard to see their men so nervous and grim. She was confident in Rose’s idea, but was still nervous for the loss of life that would inevitably happen. 

Rey and Rose dressed silently, Rey donning her chain mail and armor, Rose a plain grey dress with minimal skirts in order to move more freely. She had tried on Rey’s trousers in the confines of their tent, but was still too nervous to wear them outside. Some cultural habits are hard to overcome even with a strong will, and Rose was stronger than most. 

They made their way to the command then, beating the well worn path there, watching as other bleary eyed officers emerged from their tents to attend to their stations. No one paid much attention to the two women, too weary and anxious to think about them. 

When she walked into the tent, the men made a space for her next to Ben, most of them begrudgingly. Ben nodded at her and turned back to the conversation about the last minute scout reports. 

Supposedly, quite a few cities and sectors from beyond the core had sent men to fight. Snoke has been wildly unpopular and the Hutts had been able to amass a huge force willing to side with an enemy in order to take down a greater enemy. If only there was a way for them to show that they were not Snoke. Rey frowned deeply and Ben nudged her, raising one eyebrow. She made a face that hopefully conveyed something along the lines of ‘We’ll converse later.’ He seemed to get some semblance of that and turned back to the officers. 

Ben said nothing about their plan, and Rey made mental calculations in her head about troops and how that would factor in. She really hoped this worked, otherwise it would be possible that they would lose. After a while, they made to leave for the battlefield. Both Silencer and BB were brought to them brushed and armored. Rey petted BB’s head languidly and pressed her forehead to his mane. 

“I’ll keep you safe.” She looked over to see Ben mounting so she followed suit. Officers on horses lined up behind them and they took off, trotting outside of the camp, following along the stream of marching soldiers that led unbroken all the way from the camp to the battlefield were they started to line up, their silver armor matching the grey skies. 

They stopped their horses just to the side and front of the command tent, standing vigil behind the lines of soldiers that continued to grow out and back. She looked to the horizon and saw as groups of all kinds of men came into the valley, stopping to form a huge mass of mismatched but deadly soldiers, gangsters, barbarians, and civilians. 

Their catapults were already in place, this time strategically hidden behind small hills that dotted the landscape. She turned to look at Rose, whose horse was next to hers and Rose nodded and then looked behind her to see their own catapults being pulled onto the battlefield by teams of oxen and men. 

It felt like days as they stood there in the cold grey morning, watching as the field filled with soldiers and men, ready to kill and die for a supposedly greater cause. The wind whipped the flags that adorned the sentries' spears, hundreds of them raised into the air, red and black fabric flowing with the currents. 

The Hutt side had a few flags with the symbols of the Hutt clan, but there were also many that were adorned with the symbols and seals of cities, towns, and villages. The majority were just regular people, tired of the Empire’s tyranny, willing to accept the barbarity of the Hutts instead. 

Ben turned to Rey and his mouth was pressed into a hard line. Rey looked at him, her shoulders straight and her voice firm. “We need to give them a chance to turn.” Ben nodded grimly and they waited until the last man fell into place and a hush fell over the valley. Ben looked to her and together they trotted forward to the front of their troops. 

Rey assumed that Ben would make some sort of rousing speech to his men but once they reached the front lines, he continued forward and Rey followed until they were close enough to the Hutt front lines so they could hear them. They were met with sneers and blank stares and Rey tried to keep her face impassive. 

“Men of the Empire. Too long you have been trodden down by tyranny.” Ben’s deep voice boomed across the plain. Rey was doubtful that all of them could hear him. “The Empire has failed you. But Snoke is gone and his legacy is gone.” Even if they all couldn’t hear, Rey hoped the message would spread. 

“Surrender and you will be granted immunity, supplies, and safe passage home. The Empire is reborn!” He finished and waited, and Rey waited next to him with baited breath. The whispers started and many kinds of looks were traded, nervous and curious and angry expressions wound through their ranks. No one dared move and Rey thought it was too much to hope for anyone to surrender now. They’d be slaughtered as they left. 

Maybe if they were given the chance they would run. Rey smiled, thinking of the perfect one. “I think they just need a small distraction for the chance to leave. What do you think?” Rey looked over to Ben who gave her a slight smirk. 

“I couldn’t agree more.” He turned his steed and together they rode back through their ranks as a roar emerged from the Hutt troops. A few men were riding through the ranks, screaming and yelling and the men yelled and cheered back.

They reached the line of officers astride their horses and fell into line between Rose and Hux. Ben turned to Rey. “Advance and then fire?” He asked. She smiled. 

“Perfect.” She said. He turned to the troops ahead. 

“FRONT, ADVANCE!” He yelled and the trumpets flanking them sounded and feet jumped together. With a great yell the front lines marched forward towards the enemy side. Once the Hutts heard the trumpet call, drums started to beat and a great cry rose up from the sea of men as they ran forward onto the battlefield. 

“Rose, ready...” Ben called to Rose and she turned to her aides. 

“Catapults, steady...” she drew out the end of the word waiting for Ben’s signal. He was looking intently at the hordes of men sprinting towards their perfectly straight marching lines. 

“Just a little farther...” Ben mumbled only loud enough for Rey to hear and then called to Rose a little louder, “Fire ready.” She nodded and called to her aides to relay the message to the catapult engineers. 

“Prepare the fire!” She yelled and Rey watched as a man grabbed a flaming log from the already built fires a way behind the catapults and brought it towards the metal bed of the catapult. He touched it to the oiled coating of the boulder and flames erupted around the rock and licked around the bowl of the contraption. 

Rose looked to Ben and after a few moments of narrowed eyes at the horde of men growing closer and closer he growled, “fire.”

“FIRE!” Rose yelled and Rey heard the whack of the axe as it was plunged into the rope and the snap of the threads as they broke and sent the contraption into motion, flinging the boulder into the air, a fiery ball of death hurtling towards the advancing men. 

Time seemed to slow as Rey watched it arc through the air, while cries of fear rang through the two armies. She held her breath, waiting to see if the barrage of flames would work as intended. 

Her body felt rigid and poised to strike as the multitude of boulders fell amongst the middle of the charging army, knocking over a few men, and a few others catching fire. At first it seemed anti climactic, as most of the soldiers just ran around the flames. But still, they waited. 

The longer the flaming boulders lay smoldering in the field, the farther and bigger the flames started to grow. By the time the Hutts realized something was wrong it was far too late. The field was catching fire rapidly, engulfing almost the entire space occupied by the clan’s forces. The flames were jumping from place to place, growing higher and wider.

The flames grew quickly as it caught on torn clothing, kindling, dead grass, and leaves that had mysteriously appeared overnight and had been doused in oil. Rey looked at Rose who was staring ahead intently, solemn, but fierce. She nodded at her and they continued to watch as barrages of flaming boulders continued to sail through the sky. 

Screams erupted from the crowd, the majority having been caught in the flames and smoke. The front lines of the Hutts that had been sprinting, faltered and turned to see what had happened. It was utter chaos. Men ran to and fro, some continuing towards the Empire ranks, but many escaped towards the surrounding hills or back from where they had come. 

Ben ordered them to let the deserters go and to focus on those still fighting. Rey looked down the line of generals whose mouths were gaping open, sputtering statements of confusion and awe. “My lord, wh—what is going on?” A particularly old fellow asked Ben, his eyes wide. 

“Well, per the genius of Lady Rey and Lady Rose, the battlefield was prepared discreetly to our advantage. Hopefully the men who had wanted to leave will now find the chance to do so.” The generals looked shocked and Ben turned back towards the battlefield, and then sent his horse into a trot. Rey followed behind him and they rode through the lines of soldiers that still hadn’t set foot on the battlefield. 

The front lines had finally clashed together and fighting had commenced, albeit very one sided. Men from the Hutts were continuing to desert even after the fighting started. The scales had tipped heavily in their favor and Rey felt confident for the first time of their victory. 

Ben sent certain horse squadrons to capture the Hutt clan leaders and they wove their way through the fires and fighting. Rey watched them disappear through the smoke and she yelled to Ben as the flames continued to grow higher. 

“We need to stop it or it’ll ruin the entire valley!” She screamed over the din of battle and Ben nodded to her. 

“Containment teams! Forward!” Groups of men emerged from within the ranks with carts full of bags of sand and water. They rushed forward into the carnage, dumping sand on the heaviest spots of fire and using water to douse people. 

As more men saw the Empire quelling their own flames, even more men started to run. The Hutt gangsters were unable to fight the Empire troops and stop the deserters at the same time. Rey heard a great roar and whipped around to see the team that Ben had sent, fighting the crowd surrounding the clan leaders, one lord already captured and on horseback being ridden back to the Empire's lines.

Rey wanted to join the fight, at least for a little while, but it was slowly ending without their aid. 

“Well, I’m not going to lie, I really didn’t think it was going to work that well.” Rey shook her head, regarding the fight as it slowed to a stop. The majority of the gangsters started to surrender when they saw their leaders being carted away on horseback, and that the rest of their army had already ran off into the hills. 

Ben looked at her and then burst out laughing. In the middle of the battlefield. Rey looked at him strangely, one eyebrow raised and Ben just continued to chuckle. 

“I am so excited to marry you.” He continued to laugh as he turned his horse and they rode back through the ranks of the conquering troops.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.etsy.com/listing/726324854/light-ash-blue-vintage-cosplay-ball-gown
> 
> Rey’s dress for this chapter

“ALL HAIL LADY REY!” Someone had yelled from the ranks as they rode through the lines back to the command tent. 

“Hail!” Another man yelled which soon turned into a chanting chorus of “Hail! Rey! HAIL! REY!” The chanting picked up louder and louder and BB slowed to a stop as Rey let the reins go slack, too shocked to do anything more than gape at the army surrounding her, calling her name in praise and jubilation. 

Flags rose and waved through the air, metal fists were beat upon breastplates, and the men yelled and cheered, as Rey looked around her, BB turning in a circle. The sight became blurry as tears streamed down her cheeks, too overwhelmed to know what to do. 

She saw black in the corner of her eye and turned to see Ben sidle silencer next to her. He took her hand and held it up for all to see. He brought up his other hand and slid something cold and heavy onto her finger. She looked up to see the golden ring with the King’s crest seared into the front that she had stolen from him just a few days ago, resting upon her finger.

He looked at her for a moment before turning to the crowd. “ALL HAIL QUEEN REY!” He bellowed into the crowd and the men went wild. They cheered and screamed as choruses of ‘hail!’ and ‘Queen Rey!’ Reverberated around the battlefield. Rey swallowed thickly, unsure how to take in the moment without bursting into tears or running away as fast as she could. 

Ben’s thumb caressed her hand as he held it aloft in the air. She turned to see him gazing fondly at her, unable to hide his adoration and respect. She tried to smile at him but her eyes just leaked more tears and she laughed at how emotional she was getting, sobbing slightly. 

Ben chuckled, and then she noticed a blush slowly making its way across Ben’s cheeks and over his nose. She looked at him quizzically until she realized she had been zoning out the cheering. She listened to what they were chanting and her own blush blazed across her cheeks.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” The men were frantic, smiling wildly up at them, dancing around and acting like madmen. No doubt Ben would punish them for their impertinence, but when Rey glanced up to look at him, she didn’t see anger. 

She was about to ask him why he wasn’t mad when she felt his hands grab her waist and suddenly she was being hoisted up out of her saddle and he turned her in midair to face him. She screamed wildly as he plopped her down onto Silencer’s back, but it was soon silenced as he surged forward and caught her lips with his, kissing her deeply. 

He brought up both hands to hold her face tight in his grip as he kissed her, and kissed her, and kissed her. The crowd around them was chaos as the men celebrated their victory. Ben celebrated by shoving his tongue down her throat and pawing at her greedily. Her hands were in his hair, disturbing his normally perfect tresses, and his hands were holding her hips tight, then squeezing her waist, then caressing her cheek. 

She had made to back away a few times, but each time he refused to let her go, pulling her bottom lip back with his teeth and then sucking it into his mouth. She let him continue to kiss her, giggling into his mouth, knowing that she would remember this day for years to come.

*

The next few days were filled with much more work than Rey had anticipated. Apparently wrapping up a battle was just as complicated as waging one. Groups of men from the Hutts ranks had shown up with white flags, wondering if what Ben had said was true.

Ben stuck to his word, sending them off with food, supplies, and assurances that the Empire was no longer what it once was. Each day they sent off new sections of soldiers to return to Coruscant, laden with tents, munitions, supplies and everything that could be used for war. After two days Ben and Rey were summoned to Coruscant, as the rest of the wrap up could be handled by generals and officers. 

The day they arrived was chilly and biting, the wind whipping Rey’s cloak as they rode through the streets towards the castle that she had only been inside once. Rey’s hands shook and her leg bounced endlessly against BB as they entered in the city from the east. 

Her body was practically vibrating, but not from the cold. Her eyes darted back and forth at the people they passed, wondering if anyone recognized her from the execution. She gulped and pushed BB along despite her body screaming to run. She watched the soldiers ahead break up the crowd for their safe passage and thought about all the footsoldiers she had met.

She smiled to herself, thinking about the younger men that she had sparred with, about how bored the majority of the men had been during their time in Bothawui. She turned to see Ben staring ahead at the soldiers. 

“Ben,” She said softly to catch his attention. He turned to look at her. “What does the Empire usually do to celebrate victory?” She asked curiously. He cocked his head slightly, thinking for a moment.

“Nothing has really been done in the past. Just plan for more battles.” He said, face stoic and voice emotionless. There were too many others around. 

“Well, what if we prepared something for the city? So the soldiers could be celebrated, and the safety of Scarif.” Rey mused, thinking about ways they could make the common soldiers feel respected and valued. Ben looked thoughtful. 

“I think it’s an admirable idea. I’ll let you move forward with it as you see fit.” He nodded at her and she smiled at him. His eyes softened somewhat and his hand twitched on his reins, before moving back into position against his thighs. 

She turned from him and suddenly caught sight of the place that had haunted her dreams for the past few days. The castle loomed large before her and all she could think about was being dragged through the dark halls, trembling in fear for her life. 

She swallowed nervously, hoping Ben didn’t notice her anxieties. They rode through the gates and were welcomed by the largest greeting party that Rey had ever seen. All the advisors, courtiers, guards, maids, cooks, and pretty much everyone who lived and worked at the castle had come out to greet them. 

Their horses clopped into the courtyard, the royal black wagon following behind it carrying Rose and Hux. Hux had thought it proper to accompany her through the long journey. When he had announced his intentions Rey and Ben had winked at each other conspiratorially. 

Ben brought his horse round to face the crowd and bowed his head regally in thanks. Rey waited a few steps behind, watching as the door to the carriage opened and Hux emerged, holding out his hand for Rose to exit. Ben jumped down from his horse and walked towards Rey, who was in between him and the carriage.

The crowd must have assumed that Rose was the queen regent, because when Ben turned to Rey instead of walking to the carriage to receive Rose, the crowd gasped and murmured quietly. Ben smirked at Rey as he placed his hands on her waist and lifted her from the horse and down onto the ground. He let his hands linger for a second longer before pecking a soft kiss to her forehead and then he offered her his arm. She looped hers through his and they walked towards the front steps.

She tried not to look afraid as they passed by the crowd, the majority of them too surprised to stop gawking at Ben and Rey stupidly. They mounted the steps and drew up to a man in a stuffy gold tunic with little round spectacles covering his eyes. He bowed deeply, if a bit awkwardly and straightened.

“Lord Ren, Lady Rey, we are pleased you have arrived in Coruscant safely. Lady Rey, may I introduce myself, I am Sir Threo, the steward of this castle.” He held out his hand and Rey nervously stuck her own out in front of her. He took it and bowed stiffly. 

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance.” Rey said shyly. She drew her hand back and Sir Threo turned and briskly walked through the large oak doors into the foyer of the castle, Rey and Ben following close behind him. Rey turned to see Rose and Hux following them up the steps, and the majority of the crowd turned to watch them walk away. She blushed and walked through the doors, thankful for the barrier.

Hux led Rose somewhere that Rey didn’t know, hoping she would see her sometime later. She tried to keep up as Threo walked briskly through the halls.

“We have prepared your rooms and dinner will be served at the five bell toll. The cooking staff have been alerted to your preference but if I may sit down with you both and discuss…” Threo rattled on about cleaning schedules and meal times as they made their way through the castle, up winding staircases and down large stone arched hallways. 

Rey’s mind wandered as she admired the tapestries, suits of armor, rugs, paintings, shields and the opulence that lined every wall, room and staircase. The majority of the windows had stain glass and every tapestry she passed seamed to weave a story so long it would take her years to learn everything there was to know about the history of this place. 

“No no, this won’t do.” Ben’s stern voice broke her from her reverie. She looked to see they were stopped in front of a wooden door.

“My lord?” Threo asked, puzzled. 

“I want her in the Queen’s chambers. She is the Queen.” Ben stated firmly.

“But my Lord, you are not yet wed, it is improper for her to—“ Threo sounded frazzled.

“I don’t care what’s proper. She is the Queen and will be treated as such. Have her stuff moved immediately.” Ben turned to walk away, leaving Threo stuttering by the doorway. Rey shot him an apologetic look and ran after Ben.

“That is not necessary! I am perfectly fine—“ 

“No, I want you near me and that’s final.” Ben slashed his hand through the air. “I will not have you stay in guest quarters when you are not a guest.” His voice was harsh and tone firm. He turned and marched down the hall, back the way they had come.

They strode through a large arched foyer and into the royal wing of the palace, Threo scrambling behind them. Two grand oak doors stood along a wide expanse of wall, flanked by twin deep blue tapestries, images of a regal queen and king on each one. 

Ben watched as Threo pulled out a heavy ring of keys from his tunic, and Rey quietly stepped in front of the tapestry, admiring the stitching. The queen wore robes of gold that matched the stars that swirled around her. She almost seemed to be floating among the cosmos. Her head was down turned and her hair was crowned with little starlets. Her black hair swirled around her face, a sad expression stitched simply onto her features. 

Rey heard the heavy door open and Ben stepped aside to let her through. She gave one last glance to the tapestry, then moved forward into her new chambers.

*

Rey sank deeper in the water, letting it cover her mouth so only her eyes and nose remained above the line. Steam curled up around her in the large chamber room and dissipated as it neared the cracked door to her rooms. From the bath she could hear Kaydel tutting around her room, putting away everything that the servants had brought in.

After Sir Threo had shown Rey her new rooms, he had introduced her to her new maid, Lady Kaydel Connix. The flaxen haired girl had curtsied deeply, a little flustered but overall very sweet. Then her room had proceeded to be rampaged by servants upon servants carrying trunks, boxes, gowns, and all sorts of things that Rey had never seen in her life. She had taken one look at Ben to yell at him and he ran when he saw the look on her face. 

She had been about to run after him to give him a piece of her mind when Kaydel had suggested that Rey take a bath and that she would prepare it immediately. Rey was nervous that if she left the room she would have gotten lost, so she stomped over to the chamber room, furious but willing to wait it out to lay it out on Ben. 

She brought her feet up out of the water and admired how her toes wrinkled due to the long exposure of the water. She hadn’t bathed in days and Kaydel had been very kind in helping her scrub the majority of the dirt and grime off before she entered the copper tub. She was grateful because the water remained clean and clear as she soaked.

She sighed deeply and slid down until she submerged completely, reveling in the way it felt to be surrounded by hot water. Forget power, this was why people aspired to acquire fortune and greatness. So they could have hot baths and endless hours to do nothing but sit and think. The world felt still and silent under the water and her eyes stayed clenched shut as her hair floated around her head weightlessly. 

She waited a few more seconds, stilling her mind completely, before rising up to breath in steamy air once again. She rubbed the water out of her eyes and noticed Kaydel sneaking in through the crack in the door. 

“Are you ready for me to wash your hair now my lady?” She asked politely, trying not to look at Rey’s nude form under the water. 

“Oh um— that’s all right,” Rey began, intending to let her know she could do it herself.

“Wonderful! Lord Ren has sent over a few creams for me to use. I’ll get started.” Kaydel strode over to a basket that contained glass jars filled with different creams and Rey felt confused, realizing that Kaydel had misread her. But before she could correct her, Kaydel had grabbed locks of Rey’s hair and had started brushing it through with her fingers.

“You have such beautiful hair my lady. Is it true you used to wear it short?” Kaydel almost whispered, but then sounded horrified. “Oh no, I’m so sorry I’m not supposed to bother you, forget I asked.” She fumbled to get out, sounding nervous. Rey just laughed lightly.

“Don’t worry, I don’t mind. I did. When I was a squire I had it as short as to my ears.” Rey motioned to the spot on her head and Kaydel gasped. “Why can’t you ask me?” Rey questioned her. Kaydel paused a moment, grabbing some cream from the jar and then worked it through Rey’s strands. The scrape and pull of her fingers felt like magic against Rey’s scalp and she closed her eyes in pleasure. 

“Dear me! I shouldn’t have said anything.” Kaydel sounded afraid, muttering slightly. She paused a moment and Rey waited for her to elaborate if she wished. “It’s just we were told to leave you be. To not ask any questions or anything of the sort.” Kaydel whispered to her quickly, as if someone would be just behind the door and jump out to catch her in the act. 

“Oh, well I don’t mind if you ask me things. It would be nice to have a friend to talk to.” Rey smiled up at her and Kaydel smiled back.

“If talking is what you wish for, then I shall converse with you as much as you like.” Kaydel nodded happily and Rey felt relieved. “Now, let’s talk about what you’ll wear for dinner tonight. Has Lord Ren ever seen you in a dress?” Kaydel asked curiously.

“Only once…” Rey replied, not sure how to talk about that encounter. The minute he had seen her he had thrust her up against a wall and rutted into her like a crazed wolf, burning his face in her cleavage. The memory made her blush and she realized how naked she was in the bath. Her cunt throbbed slightly and she dug her nails into her palms to ward the feeling away.

“Wow! I can’t believe it! Well well, in that case, I think I know just the dress.” Kaydel smiled deviously and Rey wasn’t sure whether to be afraid or amused. 

*

Rey walked down the halls nervously, fidgeting with the ribbons on her gown. Kaydel kept pace beside her, chatting about different aspects of the castle that Rey might enjoy while Rey nodded beside her. Rey caught her reflection as they passed a window and marveled again at the way she looked. 

The light grayish blue gown was made of the softest tulle fabric that cascaded out from her waist beautifully, accentuated with full underskirts to make it even larger. The bust stretched tight over her chest and it ended just right over her breasts. The sleeves were at the same level as the bust and hung down on her arms with billowing fabric that came together again at her elbows. 

The back had satin ribbons that criss crossed their way up her back, cinching her in tight and accentuating her waist and bust. She wore silver slippers that matched the silver embroidered flowers that were spaced sparsely on the skirts. Kaydel had brushed, dried and styled her hair so it waved around her shoulders and the top was braided into a crown with a silver ribbon running through it. 

She felt like some kind of woodland fairy with the way the fabric swished around her legs, like she was floating through the air. She smiled to herself, happy with the way she looked. Dresses were definitely a change from what she was used to, but she could do it every once in a while.

They walked down a stone entry hall on the ground level and stopped in front of double doors that were flanked by black and red clad guards. Sir Threo stood in front of the doors, back impossibly straight as he waited to receive them. He bowed lightly as they stopped in front of him.

“My lady, the king has just arrived and waits for you. Are you ready?” He asked, hand lifted in a fist against the wood.

“Um, yes.” Rey replied, a little awkwardly. Sir Threo gave her a curt nod and rapped on the door. There must have been two guards on the other side for the doors opened on a cavernous hall brightly lit by the multitude of chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. 

Rey vaguely registered Threo yelling out her name as an introduction, but mostly focused on the shields and swords that lined the walls, and the firelight that bounced off of them from the chandeliers. She finally looked down as Kaydel nudged her forward and she took in the large oak table that rested in the center of the hall. 

She heard the scraping of chair legs and looked up to see Ben standing at attention, eyes glued to her and mouth open in surprise. He almost looked a little possessed, the way his eyes were trained on her. She assumed he wasn’t supposed to stand because the rest of the men that were seated around the table reluctantly stood as well and waited for her to move forward.

Kaydel nudged her again and she moved forward to the only open seat at the head of the table, on the other end of where Ben sat. She frowned slightly but smiled when she saw Ben finally start to recover slightly from his shock. His mouth slowly closed and curled up as he took her in more fully. She smiled shyly at him and settled in the seat that Threo had pulled out for her.

The rest of the men sat quickly and Ben lowered slowly in his plush chair, eyes never leaving Rey’s. Threo clapped twice in rapid succession and suddenly pages and servants streamed from the back doors, laden with food and drink. A trio of instrumentalists that sat in the corner burst into song, playing a lively tune that matched the frantic pace of the servants. 

Rey watched as the men resumed their conversations, hardly looking when food was placed in front of them and wine poured into their goblets. 

Some kind of meat pie was placed in front of her, along with a helping of small potatoes that were buttered and salted. A deep red wine was poured into her goblet and she picked it up to take a sip. It was tangy and strong, and no doubt would affect her later. 

She started to eat the pie enthusiastically, glancing up at Ben to see him staring at her with a small smile on his face. He then turned to an extremely skinny old man who had the sharpest cheekbones that Rey had ever seen. He had a sour look on his face and was conversing deeply with Ben and a few other men around him.

Ben started to swirl his finger around the rim of his goblet absentmindedly, listening intently to the man. She watched as the hand moved back and forth, and she admired his large hands as he fingered the rim of the glass. She would love those fingers to rim—

“That’s Grand Moff Tarkin over there.” The man to her right huffed in a thick Coruscant accent. She turned to see a man younger than the majority of the generals, with well groomed hair and mustache. He wore a stiff grey tunic with some red and blue embroidered crests on his right breast. “He’s the one who would have become King if Lord Ren hadn’t overruled him.”

She raised her eyebrow at him. “Is he bitter?” She asked, realizing too late that these are things she should not talk about in diverse company. The man gave her a crooked smile, nodded and winked as an answer. 

“Admiral Wullf Yularen.” He stuck on his hand and Rey shook it. 

“Squire Rey of Takodana— oh well, I guess not squire anymore.” She fumbled, unsure how to introduce herself. He just smiled warmly. 

“We’ve all heard rumors here and there but I’m afraid no one really knows who you are or what to call you.” He admitted. “Lady Rey?” He asked.

“Yes, that’s fine.” She replied, cutting some potatoes in half. She would eat them whole but realize that probably wasn’t proper. “So Admiral, tell me about your assignments as of late.” She nodded to him, sticking a potato in her mouth.

Admiral Yularen started to tell her of his assignments in the dense jungles of Kashyyk and she listened intently, only glancing every once in a while at Ben. He wore a midnight blue tunic, which was probably the first time she had ever seen him in something other than black or dark grey. 

It accentuated his shoulders beautifully, making him look impossibly broad and strong. His hair was washed and combed and was waving slightly as it dried. He had shaved off the stubble he had acquired the past few days and she longed to let her lips graze over the soft skin there. She studied the regal features of his face, lost in his beauty. 

“So, when do you expect to take the trials?” Yularen asked, having finished his briefing which Rey actually listened to surprisingly well for how distracted she got by Ben. 

“Well, I don’t know. I haven’t actually discussed it yet with Lord Ren. The last few cycles have been quite eventful.” Rey sighed, thinking about how crazy her life has been and how fast it was moving. Some days she longed to be on her own again, moving from city to city, when no one was depending on her and she only had to rely on herself.

But then she thought of Ben, of Maz and Chewie and the happiness she gained from leaving her previous life behind. It was hard, and it was busy, but it was entirely worth it. 

“So it seems. That battle you conducted was highly impressive. I heard detailed reports about it. I can’t wait to talk to the woman engineer.” Yularen said, cutting some potatoes and chewing on them thoughtfully. 

“Rose Tico? I’m sure she would love to talk to you. I’ll set up a time for you to meet.” Rey said happily and Yularen nodded his thanks.

“Who is this woman?” The man next to Yularen asked and he started to tell all about Rose’s infiltration of the Hutt camp. The man looked impressed and Rey smiled, hoping that this would mean good things for Rose. Her mind wandered as Yularen talked to the other man and she looked up to catch a glimpse of Ben again. 

He had abandoned his goblet, but now his fingers were lightly stroking his bottom lip in thought as Grand Moff Tarkin talked to the man across from him with a stern look on his face.

She watched the way Ben caressed himself, longing to put her own fingers against those plush lips, mapping them out and studying them to her heart's content. He brushed his top lip with his two forefingers and then slowly opened his mouth in a small o. Rey almost gasped out loud when Ben’s tongue darted out almost imperceptibly between his two fingers, held up in a v against his lips. 

She looked up to see him smirking devilishly at her. And if she couldn’t get anymore flustered, the bastard winked at her. Her belly fluttered and her cheeks felt heated at his innuendo and attention. Tarkin caught his attention and he turned to look at the man, his face turning to stone.

Two could play this game. Rey ran her fingers through her hair, then twirled the strands to throw them behind her shoulders, exposing her bare collarbones and cleavage. She sat up a little straighter and leaned forward just slightly, pinching her elbows in just so to lift up her bust. 

She continued listening to Yularen as the subject changed, offering tidbits to the conversation here and there. She noticed Ben glancing at her every once in a while, eyes lingering a little longer than necessary. He was interrupted by a servant placing a bowl of fruit in front of him with a dollop of cream on top. 

One man down the table started to speak to Rey so she leaned forward pressing her arms to the table and her breasts against them so they ballooned up. She smiled prettily and chatted happily with the man, looking up to see Ben staring directly at her tits, his ears a little red. She smirked and sat up straight when the server came around so he could pace the fruit tart in front of her. 

Making sure Ben’s attention was still on her, she swirled her finger through the cream, lifted it up to her lips and sucked, rolling her shoulders back just a little, eyes closed. She opened them to see Ben staring at her mouth, face pink and looking a little hot. Rey then picked up a raspberry from the pile, opened her mouth in a little o and popped it in, licking the juice off of the tips of her fingers sensually.

Ben tracked the movement, missing a comment that the man next to him had made, and oblivious to the fact that the man was desperately trying to get Ben’s attention. Ben snapped out of his reverie and quickly spoke to the man, looking extremely flustered. Rey finished her dessert, and lifted her arms above her head to stretch lightly. She wasn’t sure what the protocol was on entrances and exits, but she was tired and had finished eating. 

She grabbed her glass, swirled it around and took a few swigs, the tangy flavor filling her mouth. She set it down daintily and then stood to take her leave. Ben immediately stood upon seeing her stand, eyes glued to her. 

“If it is all right I will take my leave.” Rey said, curtsying low and forward, just enough for Ben to catch a glimpse of her cleavage. She looked back up and smiled at him sweetly. She turned from the table, acutely aware of the way Ben’s eyes tracked her, not sitting down until she had left the hall, almost as if at any moment he would run after her, were it not for the multitude of men vying for his attention. 

She smirked to herself, excited to see him later. 

*

“Would you like help disrobing my lady?” Kaydel asked when Rey returned to her rooms. Rey paused a moment and then replied.

“No, I’d like to stay in them a little longer. I’ll be able to manage on my own.” Rey told her.

“Are you sure my lady? It’s quite complicated.” Kaydel didn’t sound sure but Rey just smiled.

“I’ll be fine. The rest of the evening is yours.” Rey told her.

“Well, all right. I’ll just be down in the kitchens if you need me. My chamber is just through that door there.” She pointed to a small door in the back corner of the entry room. Her room must have been connected to another hall somewhere. 

“Thank you Kaydel.” Rey nodded and Kaydel curtsied and left. Rey was finally alone to examine her chambers. The door connected to the entryway led to a receiving room with a couch, chairs and a desk. That room had the door that led to Kaydel’s room, and another one at the other end of the room that must connect her chambers to Ben’s. Rey moved through the next door that led to her personal chamber that housed the largest bed she had ever seen with velvet quilts and blankets and feather pillows. 

The floors were covered in dark blue rugs woven with black and silver. A fire roared in the hearth on the back wall and two armchairs sat in front. A few fur rugs lay around the room, one by the fire, another by both sides of the bed. 

On the wall opposite her bed were dark wooden wardrobes. She walked over to open each one, revealing racks of hanging gowns, shelves with stockings, corsets, shoes, and all manner of things fit for a grand lady. 

The more she found the angrier she became. It was all too much and highly unnecessary. She steamed until she opened the last wardrobe. Her armor sat inside, polished and fixed. Beside it were her weapons, new sets of boots, trousers, tunics, arm wraps, and even breast bands. 

She sighed and shook her head. 

“Admiring my gifts?” A deep voice whispered in her ear and she nearly jumped out of her skin. 

“Ben!” She turned to find him smirking behind her and she smacked him in the chest. “You frightened me!” She yelled, her heart still pounding from the scare. He just laughed and pulled her into him. He placed one hand on her hips and brought the other up to caress the side of her face.

“You look so incredibly beautiful.” He murmured. Rey practically purred in his arms before realizing she had a mission. She pushed him back and he gave her a quizical look.

“Why did you buy me all these things? It’s too much! I don’t need them!” She said angrily, pointing at the wardrobes in indignation. 

“I bought them for you because you deserve them, it is not too much and you do need them. You’re a Queen now. You need to look the part.” He retorted hotly. She gaped.

“But—“ Rey tried.

“No buts, now, if you don’t let me take this dress off of you right now, I might die.” Ben strode forward and grabbed her again, bringing his face down to hers to capture her in a kiss. She melted into him, all her ire forgotten as his tongue caressed her lower lip and she parted her lips for him. Suddenly his hands gripped her hips tight and he broke off. 

“You little tease.” He growled in her ear. “You have no idea what you did to me.” His lips found her neck and he started to bite, leaving kisses in between each one.

“You were the tease,— ah— playing with your lips like that— ow!” Ben pinched her butt hard and she jolted in his arms, further into his body. 

“Yes but I’m not the one who put their tits on display for all to see.” He ravished her neck as his hands groped her ass through the cushy fabric of her dress. “You looked damn near delectable. I couldn’t keep my eyes off you all evening.” He moaned as his hands came up to squeeze her breasts that looked amazing thanks to the corset.

Rey couldn’t speak, except for the occasional yes and Ben interspersed with moans as Ben licked down her neck, across her collarbones and started biting at her cleavage. “I couldn’t help but think about all the ways I could fuck you in this dress.” He whispered, palming each breast as she carded her fingers through his hair. 

“And then you fucking sucked on your finger and I swear I was so hard my cock almost ripped my trousers.” He looked up at her with dark eyes and a strange look on his face. “Tell me to stop and I will, alright sweetheart?” He said softly, she nodded and suddenly he bit the top of her breast hard, palming her ass roughly. 

“You’re such a little whore, trying to seduce me during dinner.” He growled. “I’m gonna make you pay.” He suddenly lifted her in the air around the waist and practically threw her over his shoulder. She screamed and kicked wildly when suddenly she was being flung through the air and she landed hard down on the bed. 

Her skirts billowed around her as she scrambled to right herself. He bore down on her and kissed her hard. She clamped her hands around his arms, holding him tight against herself, reveling in the feel and weight of his body over hers. He ground his hips into her and she felt his erection press against her thigh. 

She moaned loudly and Ben quickly let her go but then was flipping her around onto her stomach. He straddled her ass and pinned her down. “My little girl deserves a punishment for making me so hard during dinner.” He roughly tore at the silk ribbons holding her dress together, pulling at them until they all came undone. He yanked the dress down and off her body and threw it into the air where it drifted to the floor in a big beautiful pile of cloth. 

She was left in her corset, stockings and underwear, still on her stomach and pinned down by Ben, unable to move. He bent down over her and whispered in her ear. “I’m going to fuck you so hard little one.” Rey shuddered and her eyes practically rolled into the back of her head. Ben was being dark and wild but she loved the control he was taking, loving the way she felt being submissive, moaning and writhing beneath him.

It should have felt degrading, but for some reason, it made her insides burn with desire. She loved feeling out of control, and she loved feeling his unbridled and heated passion for her. His hands yanked at the strings of her corset, ripping it off of her to fling it across the room. She lay topless on the bed, clad only in stockings and underwear.

Ben grabbed the edge of her undergarments and pulled it down oh so slowly off her ass, fingers brushing her skin there lightly. He pulled the garment just below the curve and then massaged her cheeks, still straddling her thighs. She purred in pleasure as he rubbed at her ass and back, arching her body and sighing in pleasure. 

She smiled in happiness when suddenly— CRACK! Ben smacked her ass so hard the sound reverberated around the room and she lurched forward with a yelp, but hindered by his weight on her. 

“It’s alright my darling, you can take it.” He massaged her butt sweetly. “But you need to be punished before you can have my cock.” 

CRACK!

Another slap and Rey yelped beneath him, her ass cheek tingling as he massaged the pain away. “My beautiful little whore. Trembling beneath me and taking your punishment like a good girl.” 

CRACK!

She started to whimper beneath him, feeling terribly hot and bothered, her vagina opening and clenching on nothing. She longed for him to fill her up and quell this terrible ache inside, this insane need for him. “Shh, shhh, don’t worry darling. Just one more and I’ll give you my cock.” He consoled her as she shook beneath him. 

“Please Ben, please give me your cock, please.” She begged, feeling so hot and wild inside that all inhibitions were let go. She ground her ass up against him seeking any kind of friction or contact. He massaged her, even dipping his fingers down to rub at her outer lips. She nearly wept at the feeling.

CRACK!

Rey’s yelp was more of a ragged moan and Ben groaned at the sound she made. Her ass felt like it was on fire in the best way, her vagina practically pulsing with want. Her mind felt hazy and warm and she was delirious with need. “You took that so well sweetheart, now let’s see how you take my cock.” 

He tore down her stockings, leaving her completely bare against the bed. With one hand he rubbed her ass occasionally in between removing his tunic and trousers. She ground her hips into the bed, sticking her ass up for him and shaking it back and forth, loving hearing him groan as he watched her flaunt it in front of him.

His hands grabbed her hips and he yanked them up against his pelvis. He was kneeling behind her and he positioned her so she was on all fours. She gasped as he pressed his cock up against her ass, grinding it into her to get it hard again.

“Ben! Isn’t this wro—“ 

“Not for me. I’m the king and I can fuck my whore however I please. And once you’re my wife, I will still fuck you in any way possible.” His hand held her tight as he lined up the head with her entrance. She groaned as he flicked the head against her outer lips. 

Finally, he lined up and pushed in, oh so slowly. “Go on my love, take me. Take my cock in that little pussy of yours.” He growled, inching in. “Take me all the way in.” He commanded and she tilted her hips so he slammed into her. She yelped as his dick hit some deep part inside of her that was maybe painful, but she wasn’t sure yet. 

“Fuuuuuck Rey. Your cunt is a damn miracle.” He groaned as he rocked his hips into her slowly, getting her used to the new position that let him go deeper than ever before. 

“You look so beautiful like this.” He murmured, thrusting into her languidly. Each time he pushed all the way in Rey lurched forward slightly from the pressure. She took a deep breath in, and out, trying to relax. She felt her vaginal muscles soften and she tried thrusting back into Ben. The discomfort turned to arousal and pretty soon she was a whimpering withering mess underneath him, grinding her ass into him.

“I can’t believe you’re all mine…” Ben sounded dazed as he rubbed her ass, grinding into her. “All mine…” He repeated, sounding a little aggressive. His hands suddenly gripped her hips hard and he slammed himself into her.

Rey moaned, burying her head into the bedspread beneath her, fisting her hands in the quilt to take off some of the pressure that was building in her body. Ben thrust into her over and over again, the sounds of their slapping skin accompanied only by occasional moans and the crackle of the fire. 

Her mind was fuzzy, thinking only of Ben’s body above her, thrusting her into the bed. His hand made its way between the bed and her cunt and he placed his palm against her mound to grind her against it. Her pleasure built faster that way, and she chased the feeling, her pussy opening and closing, building to something larger. 

“Aaaah, ah Ben!” She started to screech, the feeling taking over her body. Ben was rutting into her like a man possessed, humping her so hard the bed shook and the headboard banged against the stone wall. 

“Rey!” Ben practically yelled, his body shaking. 

Ben grunted and stilled above her, whispering her name repeatedly. He flopped down on top of her, still moving his hips into hers to grind her against his hand. He kissed her neck and moved his hand faster and faster until her cunt started to flutter and she screamed into the quilt.

When she came down from her high she realized Ben was shaking above her. She tilted her head to the side to peer at him through half lidded eyes. He was laughing. 

“What the hell Ben?” She asked hotly. He just held her tighter and continued to shake silently. 

“Oh Maker that was amazing.” Ben sounded giddy and Rey laughed despite herself. Although it sounded more like a huff. “Fuck, I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” Rey just laughed and Ben rolled off of her onto his back. He tilted his head to face her and with a serious expression said. “Why do you like me?” 

Rey knit her eyebrows. “Ben, I love you.” 

“Yes I know but why? I’m a terrible person.” He looked sad and Rey turned so she could stroke his hair.

“You are not a terrible person. Yes, you’ve made some bad decisions, but you’re changing. You were a great master, you were generally patient and kind with me. Well, after our first few days together.” She snickered and continued. “And you respected me. You respected me when I was a skinny stupid boy and you respected me when I was a skinny stupid girl.” 

Her fingers traced his eyebrows as she stared into his eyes. “You accept me for who I am, you’re a great leader, you’re secretly sweet.” She gave him a little smile. “You make me laugh. You make me feel like the only woman in the world.” She leaned forward and kissed him sweetly, backing away slowly to see his eyes had gone a little misty. 

“I love you Rey.” He whispered to her, hands gripping her waist. She nuzzled her nose into his, smiling, when he pulled back. “What do you mean I was a great master? Am I not still good?” 

Rey just laughed. “Well, I assumed I wasn’t a squire anymore now that I’m doing all this.” She waved her hand around, indicating around the room. Ben sat up and pulled her up with him.

“Rey, you’re still a squire, and you’re going to become a knight.” Ben stated firmly, holding her hands in both of his.

“How? I‘ll be too busy to be a proper squire, let alone take any trials—“ 

“Are you joking? Rey, because of you the battle for Scarif was won with an astoundingly minimal loss of life. If that isn’t trial enough, I don’t know what is. I’m going to Krennic tomorrow to discuss your knighthood.” 

Rey’s mouth opened and closed stupidly as she gaped at Ben. In her realism she had written off her dreams as something foolish. She hadn’t dared hope for something like this. She hadn’t let herself. Ben cupped her cheek.

“You will be a knight Rey.” He said softly, brushing a tear that had unwittingly fallen down her cheek. She couldn’t look away from his eyes, lost in his love and care for her. She let out a small sob and Ben pulled her in close to hold her tight against him. They laid like that until they were both asleep, the fire slowly burning down to embers in the grate.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [The Squire Pinterest Board](https://www.pinterest.com/mae2d2p/the-squire-fanfic/)
> 
> Here’s a Pinterest board I made for this fic. A lot of their outfits and scenes I wrote are based off of art that I saw that really inspired me. Reylo artists are so incredibly talented! The outfits they wear in this chapter is the drawing of Rey in the green dress and Ben’s forehead against hers drawn by pandacapuccino
> 
> Come be my friend on [ twitter ](https://twitter.com/mae2d2) !

The day of the festival was grey and cold, the clouds threatening to spill at any moment. However, when there is something to celebrate, nothing will stop people from foregoing all work to indulge themselves, even if it means getting a little wet. 

Rey was rushing through the crowds, a light drizzle dampening her cream tunic with dark green accents. Her boots slurped in the mud, like the ground was trying to hold her down, trying to make her even more late than she already was. 

Although, she couldn’t help but smile at all the people milling about the rings and the market stalls. Rey had suggested the idea of a victory celebration and Kaydel had jumped at the opportunity to help her with the task. She had recruited an amazing group of young ladies who worked in the castle and together they had planned something that Rey could never have done on her own.

Well, especially now with everything that was expected of her. It had been just a few weeks since their return from Bothawui, but it had felt like an eternity. Each morning she ate breakfast alone in her room with Kaydel, with an occasional visit from Ben if he could escape Sir Threo’s protocols. 

After breakfast, her day was filled with meetings with advisors, meetings with generals, meetings with dukes, lords, and ladies, meetings with priests. Everyone in the Empire was determined to meet the new Regents and to put themselves in their good graces. They were invited to dinners, balls, galas, hunts, celebrations, and were sent all kinds of goods that she had never seen before.

They hardly attended any kind of events, always too busy to even leave the castle. The longer she was there the more she felt caged in. She was hardly ever able to see Ben, their meetings taking them apart from each other constantly. He would occasionally join her in her rooms, which was increasingly more difficult when Threo decided they needed guards in their wing at all hours for their protection.

She was overworked and frustrated, but tried her best to keep it in and do her part. She felt good so far about the work she had been able to do, happy that she and Ben had the opportunity to rule in a way unheard of for the past few decades. 

They had begun dismantling all colonizing efforts and were in the process of deciding on a new way of governance that would benefit the Empire and the old kingdom of Alderaan. She was proud of the work she was doing, willing to continue even if it was exhausting.

She moved past a combat ring that was currently showcasing a brutal hand to hand fight. The large crowd was dense and she had to shove her way through a little roughly. As she passed by a few faces looked at her curiously, but most ignored her as she walked to the side of them.

She finally came up on the black and red striped tent and slipped inside to find Mitaka standing there nervously. She ripped off her cloak, not having time to delay.

“Where’s Ben? He said he would be here!” She said angrily, rushed. She threw her cloak into an open crate and held her arms out as Mitaka pulled her silver breastplate out of the trunk that was delivered from her serving staff. 

“Something required his attention so he asked me to assist you.” He said softly, sounding nervous. She smiled weakly at him, not wanting to hurt his feelings, but a little annoyed. She hadn’t jousted in about a year and was painfully out of practice. She needed Ben’s support. 

She could hear the crowd through the thin walls of the tent, growing louder and louder as the time neared. She heard a trumpet blare and she started bouncing lightly on her feet. 

“Arghh, why am I always so late?” She grunted to herself. She had gotten a little carried away at the staff fights, pleased that they were on the edges of the field and not well attended. However, that made them far from the center of the festival and difficult to get to. Mitaka laughed just barely and Rey smiled.

He finished up quickly and Rey jumped around to make sure that everything was in place. She twisted her torso side to side to stretch out her body lightly. “Okay, okay, I can do this.” She whispered to herself, hitting her forearms together to create a low clank from the metal. 

“You can do it Rey, I know you can.” Mitaka smiled at her and she smiled back before exiting the tent and into the roar of the crowd. The wall of sound practically blew her back when she appeared, people screaming and yelling things that she couldn’t make out. Flags waved and people jumped up and down as she strode toward BB who was being held by a page she hadn’t met. 

She looked around the arena, noting how packed the stands and standing room was. They were each full to the brim, people practically on top of each other trying to get a look at the girl that the entire Empire was talking about. She gulped, terrified and angry that Ben had convinced her to joust at the Victory Festival. 

She knew this would happen and had tried to prevent it but Ben had been adamant and would not give up. She looked to the platform and saw the object of her thoughts sitting in a straight backed wooden throne, dressed in all black, his fur cape hanging on one shoulder. He looked regal and beautiful, his pale face a stark contrast to his clothing.

He wore a silver crown that she had never seen before, a sharp and angled thing that looked menacing and beautiful atop his black waves. He was looking at her intently, ignoring Threo who was at his shoulder and whispering into his ear. 

She gave him a small glare, one that looked innocent enough, but he would recognize it for what it was. She saw him give her a slight smirk before assuming his blank expression. 

She slammed her helmet atop her three buns and mounted BB in an angry swing. The page handed her the lance and she hoisted it up into her arm and gripped it tight, looking up to see her opponent was fumbling with something on his armour. There seemed to be some kind of mishap because a few pages were running back and forth frantically. 

She thought for a moment and then kicked BB into motion, cantering towards the platform. It was on the center left side of the ring, in the middle of the stands of the nobles. It had a black awning and a small wooden gate that blocked the seats from the crowds. 

Ben’s eyes were locked on hers the whole way and stood as she stopped BB in front of him. He stood still, waiting for her, a curious expression on his face. His eyes widened when she bowed deeply and then held out her hand. She lifted her visor as Ben walked forward. He looked at her with an eyebrow raised and she smirked at him. 

“Might I have a token my Lord?” She asked in a proper voice, with a small trace of irony. Ben’s mouth flicked up in amusement and proceeded to grip is black cloak. He lifted up the hem that brushed the ground and ripped a piece from it. He handed it to her and when he touched her hand, he gripped it and bowed low to brush a kiss against her knuckles.

He looked at her through his lashes and smiled before straightening back up, releasing her hand. She bowed her head in gratitude before attaching his token to her lance. 

“May you be victorious.” Ben bowed his head and returned to his seat as she trotted away. Her focus returned to the present and she heard whistling and cheering as she canted back towards the starting line, lance held aloft with Ben’s token fluttering atop it in the wind. 

Sir Bossk had finally managed to retrieve the rest of his armor and was now waiting atop his horse, lance in hand. She had heard tales of him from the academy. He was a ruthless hunter, and reveled in the chase of catching criminals and wanted men. That made him a skilled horseman, and a very formidable opponent.

Ben had the utmost faith in her, but she didn’t know if she could trust him and his biases. She shook her head and shook out her shoulders, trying in vain to release some nervous energy. The drizzle had picked up to a light rain that slid down her armour in quick little lines. 

She saw the herald climb atop the box and hold up a flag and a trumpet. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to drown out the ferocious roar of the crowd with the light patter of rain against her helmet and the distant boom that thundered in the distance. 

The cheering stopped, she opened her eyes, and the trumpet sounded.

*

She turned her horse away from the fallen man, too shocked to do anything but return to the tent. She had beat him in a clean sweep, better than she had ever done before. She trotted up to Mitaka who had a huge grin on his face. She lowered her lance for him to grab and he cradled it in his arms.

She made to dismount when Mitaka let out a little cough. “Um, I think you’re expected.” He jerked his head towards the stands and she turned BB around to see Ben standing at the edge of the platform, the entire stadium waiting in quiet anticipation. She tried to mask her confusion and led BB back to the middle of the ring.

Bossk had already led his horse back to his tent, but the crowds hadn’t moved, and stood almost silently, quiet murmurs and conversations buzzing around the arena. She stopped her horse in front of the platform and Ben motioned for her to join him. BB was about as tall as the platform so she sidled up next to it and used her hands to hoist herself up onto it. 

She heard faint laughter in the distance, but figured it was the fastest way to get up there. She didn’t realize there was a prize for the joust. She wouldn’t have tried to win so hard if she knew. She stood in front of Ben and he smiled at her before he nodded at the herald.

“Squire Rey Kanata of Takodana, please kneel before your Regent.” He called out to the crowd. Rey raised an eyebrow at Ben but his expression gave nothing away. She dropped to one knee and removed her helmet, holding it beneath her arm. Her hair had come undone slightly and she knew it would be messy from the drizzle and the helmet. She resisted the urge to smooth it down.

Just then she noticed what she had failed to see upon mounting the platform. Sir Krennic and Sir Ackbar were standing behind Ben, Krennic holding a scroll in his hand. Ben unsheathed his sword with a flourish and held it to her shoulder. She looked up the metal that glinted red and ended at the large cross guard that Ben had fashioned himself. She gaped up at him but all she got was a small upturn of his lips. His signature not smile.

“Squire Rey.” Ben’s deep voice resonated around the arena and a hush fell across the arena, everyone straining to hear the words of the king. “You have been found worthy of the title Knight of the Empire. Through your efforts, the city of Scarif is safe, the Hutt clan has been disbanded, and many lives have been preserved.”

He lowered his sword slowly onto her shoulder, where it landed lightly, the metals clanging together in a low note. His eyes bored into hers, soft and proud and full of emotion. “You are hereby dubbed,” He tapped one shoulder then moved to the other, “Lady Rey, Knight of the Empire.” He tapped the next shoulder and withdrew the sword, returning it back to the scabbard. 

“Please Rise.” She stood to face him and Krennic opened the scroll to Ben. Ackbar held a stick of scarlet wax over the thick paper, a flame underneath it that dripped down into the right corner. Ben held his hand under it and pushed his signet ring into the pool of wax. When he pulled away, Krennic produced a feather quill and handed it to Rey.

She took it with shaking hands and Ben held the scroll steady while she signed her name at the bottom of the page. Ben then took it to sign, his signature looking loopy and beautiful next to her small chicken scratched name. Ben handed the quill to Krennic and he signed below their names. Krennic gave her a small bow and a grimace that could count as a smile for him, and backed away, leaving the two of them to face the crowd. 

“All Hail Lady Rey!” Ben yelled, grabbing Rey’s hand and thrusting it into the air. The crowd before her roared but the only thing that registered was the look on Ben’s face as he gazed at her fondly. She smiled back at him, too overwhelmed to think about much else besides the feel of Ben’s hand in hers and this feeling of incandescent happiness. 

*

Rey stood in front of the large double doors that led to the grand hall of the castle. She could hear the noise and music from beyond the door and the peals of laughter of people making themselves merry. 

Rey smiled up at the door, admiring the swaths of fabric and ribbons that adorned the top in draping strands. It had been Kaydel’s idea and Rey was excited to see the final product. She flexed her hand on Ben’s arm and he smiled down at her, looking smug. 

He had been awfully quiet and mysterious all day, not giving out any information when she asked for it, only giving her a ball gown that looked suspiciously like the one she had worn when they first met, but fancier. 

Ben had done her hair, braiding a few small sections at the top of her head to create a bun in the back, the rest falling down in waves with a few small braids weaved in. Ben looked especially dashing in his high necked black tunic, covered by a few pieces of his dark grey armor which made him look strong and regal. The black was complimented with a scarlet cape that fell down to the floor.

His hair was lush and wavy and she resisted the urge to run her hands through it. She bounced up and down on her feet, the nervous energy rolling off of her. Ben placed a comforting hand atop her own that was gripping his arm. 

“Why so nervous, my love?” He asked. She just bounced a little more on her feet.

“I just really want it to go well. I hope the soldiers appreciate it.” She said, biting her lip and craning her neck as if she could tell when the doors would open. Like a sign from the maker the doors swung open wide and Ben pulled her through. The sound of trumpets blared and stopped as they stood before the herald. 

“Our Esteemed Regents, Lord Kylo Ren, Knight of the Empire accompanying Lady Rey Kanata, Knight of the Empire.” The herald called out loudly with his chest puffed out haughtily. He had yelled so loudly one of the trumpeters had jumped and almost lost his floppy hat. Rey had to cover her mouth to suppress a giggle.

She felt Ben laugh silently next to her as they strode forward into the hall to applause. The music resumed and talking and laughing erupted once again through the room. Rey looked up to admire the way that Kaydel had transformed the once terrible hall.

The last time she had really seen it was when she had her audience with Snoke. The walls had been covered in blood red tapestries depicting all kinds of gruesome scenes. They had been replaced with new tapestries and paintings, each different and beautiful. 

From the ceiling hung long swaths of fabric, transforming the room into some kind ethereal forest. Bunches of greenery from lemon trees and olive branches were strung together with ribbons and adorned the doors, windows, and tables. Rey marveled at the beauty, almost missing what was right in front of her.

She looked down to see Maz, Chewie and Finn standing right in front of her, waiting expectantly. She gasped, covering her mouth with both hands. Tears sprung to her eyes as she rushed forward, practically falling into Maz and Chewie’s waiting arms. Chewie held them both up steadily while Rey cried with happiness, tightening her arms around them.

“Why are you here? When did you come?” Rey backed away just enough to see their faces and Maz wiped an errant tear that ran down her cheek. 

“Well, we received a very interesting letter that arrived from a messenger falcon telling us to be ready to travel. A royal carriage arrived a few days later and now we’re here.” Maz shrugged and smiled happily. They let Rey go and Finn immediately grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.

“Oh Rey, I am so proud of you.” He whispered to her, hugging her tight. Rey closed her eyes and smiled, her heart full to bursting.

“I missed you so much Finn.” She whispered back. She pulled away to eye him. “Did Lord Ren send for you too?” When she had first arrived at the castle it was hard to remember to refer to Ben as Lord Ren or Kylo. She was getting better at it.

Finn smiled. “He did. He actually sent for me and Dameron a while ago, but we were in the outer rim and it took awhile for us to get back.” He leaned over to glare at Ben while still holding on to Rey. “There was no need to send so many falcons.” Rey turned her head to see Ben’s arms folded and trying not to look sheepish.

“She wouldn’t marry me unless you were here so your speed was paramount.” Ben said, face even. Rey raised an eyebrow at him and he looked like he was trying to resist the urge to smile.

“So what is happening? You weren’t exactly clear.” Maz interrupted, folding her arms and cocking her hip, aiming a glare at Ben.

“Well, now that you’re all here…” Ben’s hands twitched and Rey realized he was extremely nervous. His eye twitched and he was working his lips anxiously. She walked towards him and placed her hand on his chest and looked up into his eyes. His body relaxed and he took a deep breath. 

“I’ve made arrangements for us to be married tomorrow. It will be small, which I prefer and believe you do as well. Although Threo was adamant that we do something public, so I promised an official crowning ceremony when we arrive home.” He gave her a tentative smile and she beamed up at him.

“I— Ben,” She stuttered, not knowing what to say. So, she placed her hands on his jaw and pulled him down for a kiss. He placed his hands on her hips modestly and kissed her back sweetly. She pulled back and he rested his forehead against hers and her hands slid down to rest against his chest. “I love you.” She whispered to him and he looked as content as she had ever seen him. 

He winced and she looked up at him. “Threo also made me promise one other thing.” He grimaced and she nodded at him with a small frown to continue, he took a deep breath. “We have to announce our union tonight. This is our official wedding celebration.” 

Rey’s felt the flush rise in her cheeks and her heart started to hammer in her chest. She shook her head slightly and Ben grabbed her cheek. “Don’t worry, I’ll be by your side the whole time.” He stroked her cheek lightly and she nodded wordlessly. 

Maz came up behind them and enveloped them both in a hug. “My little girl, winning a joust, becoming a knight and now getting married to a king!” She shrieked. Rey grinned and then pulled back to look at Maz.

“You saw my joust?” She asked.

“Oh yes, we went hidden of course to not spoil the surprise.” She nodded eagerly and Rey grinned. Chewie came up behind them to envelope them all in a tight squeeze.

“I see you’ve worked on those things we talked about.” He winked at her and she laughed at his vague description. He let them go and they all broke apart. Rey realized that Ben looked supremely uncomfortable. 

He squared his shoulders and sighed. “Well, let’s get this over with.” He held out his hand and together they made their way back to the herald and a waiting Threo. 

*

Rey shifted her weight from foot to foot, trying to relieve the ache that blossomed from her arches. Ben must have noticed because he put his arm around her and gripped her hip, lifting her slightly off the ground. She leaned into him, melting into his warmth. 

The Duke of Hapes droned on and on in front of them, insisting they come visit him at his castle, assuring them they will be provided with the finest of clothes and have the most excellent of hunts. Rey eyed his tunics, inlaid with jewels and stones and embroidered with thread that looked like real gold.

The minute the announcement of their union had been made, they had not had a moment to themselves. Everyone in the room was determined to congratulate them personally, wishing them a long and happy marriage, and a long and happy rule that hopefully included power and fortune for their prospective town or city.

She was exhausted and sick of making small talk and exchanging pleasantries. The Duke finally let them go and they walked away only to be approached by another Knight. Rey was about to plaster a fake smile on her face when she looked up and a real one sprung up. 

“Snap! How are you?” She said excitedly and he bowed lightly with a small smile. 

“Just fine. My master is still recovering from his injuries from the battle so we’ll be in Coruscant awhile.” He said, an air of sadness in his tone. Snap was not one for staying still.

“Well, if you don’t have too many duties, I could always use an advisor.” Rey said and Ben stiffened next to her. Just then Kaydel came up to Rey to whisper in her ear.

“My lady, please let me know when you would like to retire and I will make excuses for you.” Kaydel smiled sweetly at her and Rey’s eyes crinkled. Kaydel already knew her so well. Rey nodded.

“I will let you know.” She said quietly and then glanced back up to see Snap staring a little blankly at Kaydel. His mouth was parted slightly and his eyes were trained on her. Kaydel must have noticed because she giggled.

“Sir Wexley, may I introduce you to my ladies maid, Kaydel Connix.” Rey said with a devious smile on her lips. Kaydel smiled demurely and curtsied while offering her hand to Snap. He took it in his own and kissed her knuckles lightly. 

“Would you care to dance?” He asked when he straightened from his bow. Kaydel nodded and he offered his arm which she gladly took before striding away together. Rey watched them go, noting the smiles they were giving each other. 

They passed by Finn and she watched him for a few moments talking to Sir Dameron, his master and Rose and Hux who had joined their conversation. Hux’s hand was on the small of Rose’s back and Rose was laughing uproariously with Finn and Dameron. 

With the exception of Hux, they all talked animatedly and Finn must have made a joke because Dameron laughed and then grabbed Finn’s hand and interlaced his fingers with Finn’s. Rey smacked Ben in the arm and gestured over to Finn. Ben smiled and Rey smiled back, pleased for her friends, and excited about the future.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are many songs that could work for this chapter but here are two I like. I might make a playlist later and add it here but for now, listen to either of these songs and feel 
> 
> [Spotify: Sancte Deus](https://open.spotify.com/track/4X87zJoVrJEojerNA9ueVI?si=QQvalwyvRCG-U9PZ7Xcugg)
> 
> [Spotify: Vespers, Op.37: VI Bogoroditse Devo](https://open.spotify.com/track/5USwRV7JZiyHlk2EuayQFe?si=a56KAK7fSjKcn-BYWUnggA)

Ben and Rey rode through the lush green mountain path that was marked with stacks of flat stones. The recent rains had renewed the forest and the vegetation was bursting with new life in brilliant colors. The leaves on the trees were emerging, along with buds of pink and purple flowers whose petals fluttered down every once in a while when a strong wind blew across the mountain side. 

Animals were starting to emerge from their months-long slumber, poking their sleepy heads out from holes and crags and logs to see about the noise that disturbed them from the silence that had reigned all winter long. BB and Silencer’s hoofs beat against the hard ground, occasionally muffled when they crossed a patch of moss that had covered the trail. 

They splashed through a clear stream that was weaving down the mountain, bubbling along happily as it passed over stones and fallen branches, smoothing them down with each passing current. Small and colorful fish swam by and darted out of the way as the hoofs clopped through their home. 

The air up here was colder than it had been in Coruscant and Rey shivered under her cream and tan colored fur cape. Ben had given it to her as a wedding present, the night after their ceremony. When she asked him why he had gotten her a cape when they were just nearing spring, he shrugged and said it was a surprise.

Now, a few days into their ride, she was grateful for his foresight. She had no idea where they were going or what they were going to do, she only knew that Ben had a plan and she was going to follow him. She trusted him with her life, and that meant the small things too.

The two of them had set up a council to rule in their absence while they honeymooned. Rey was excited to be alone with Ben for the first time in what felt like forever. She looked over to him and smiled, admiring his black furs and the way they made him look powerful and regal, yet at the same time a little barbaric and wild. She loved the contrast and the way it reflected his own personality and actions.

His hair was blowing in the light wind, and the sunlight that filtered down from the canopy above highlighted the streaks that were starting to go grey. When she had first spotted them it had hit her just how much older than her Ben was. For a moment she felt afraid that he would age much faster and leave her alone. However, such was life and she vowed to enjoy his presence as long as she had it. He really wasn’t that old anyway.

The trees started to thin and as they rounded another switchback she saw that the mountain path turned into long winding stone steps that had been meticulously put together so that each stone fit together almost perfectly. The clopping of the horses sounded off the stone, interrupting their previous silent reflection. 

The steps wound up and up until the tree line ended, leaving the mountain top bare. Rey looked up, covering her eyes against the sun and beheld a great stone cathedral with sharp spires and spindling towers that jutted towards the sky in great points. Flying buttresses adorned the sides, and between each one, large windows of multicolored glass.

It was a small cathedral, long and thin but extremely tall. The front boasted a large circular window with an intricate floral design and above the window was an archway that held a large copper bell that was ringing beautifully, piercing the air and sending flocks of birds flying above the mountain peak. 

She looked back and realized she could see the entire mountainside and valley that they had just traveled through. She could see forest as far as her eyes could see, with lakes and towns nestled in between the blanket of trees and brush. Spires could be seen barely above the treetops in the far distance. She marveled at the view and turned to Ben to enjoy it with him.

His face was awed as he took in the valley before him, eyes darting from east to west as he took in what seemed like an entire kingdom to her eyes. He turned to her and she smiled. 

“Come, there's more to see.” Ben grinned and jerked his head as he turned Silencer back towards the cathedral. She wasn’t sure what could be more beautiful than this view, but she would soon learn that she was sorely mistaken.

They tied up their horses to a lonely post outside the steps that led to the front door, and Ben grabbed her hand and surged up the steps, taking them two at a time. He pushed open the unassuming door and dark and cold air greeted her as they stepped into the foyer of the cathedral. Ben turned to smile at her before pushing open the next door that led to the nave. 

He pulled her through and suddenly her whole world was ripped from underneath her. Her entire vision was transformed into an array of colored light that rained down from the heavens, illuminating the very air around her, casting color and patterns upon every surface it could reach. Pillars were bathed in pink, blue and gold. The marbled floor boasted patterns of red and purple and the altar was adorned in a bright white light, accented with gold and pink. 

The ribbed vaulting was painted an astonishing shade of deep blue that was punctuated with a multitude of stars and celestial bodies that were adorned in the brightest gold. The cathedral held no aisle, which made it all the more possible for the light from the clerestory and triforium windows to illuminate the space to its utmost potential. 

Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, but were of hardly any use in this amazing array of colored light. Tears sprung to Rey’s eyes and her mind spun at the beauty that lay before her. She couldn’t move. Her body was rooted to the floor, her eyes fixed upon the wonder before her. She registered a song that reverberated around the vaulted ceilings, filling the cathedral and her soul with its heavenly sound.

She couldn’t see the choir, but the voices that sung in such low and high notes mixed together created a longing so deep in her body that she didn’t even know what it was for, only that it caused her to feel her very existence in a most deep and profound way. 

Rey felt as though her very soul had left her body and taken wing to rise up and out the stained glass and into the crisp mountain air to fly free forever more. Her breath shuddered, and she realized that she had stopped breathing for a few moments, the chapel having taken it from her. 

She finally turned her head to see Ben, his face upturned towards the light, mouth parted and eyes like an asterism, reflecting the refractions from above. A tear traced down his cheek and she noticed his eyes were wet. He had brought them to a place that he had never been, somewhere that they could enjoy the newness together. Her heart swelled with emotion, grateful for his thoughtfulness, his love, his care. 

Tears traced down her cheeks and she squeezed his hand that was gripping tight to hers. He finally turned to look at her and his face crumpled. Tears welled and spilled over his cheeks as he pulled her into his chest, shaking as he buried his face in her neck. She was powerless to stop her own flow of tears, her own body quaking as she sobbed in his arms. 

They stood at the entrance of the nave, sobbing and holding each other in a way that said, I will never let you go, I will never leave you, I will love you forever. The music swelled around them, enfolding them in its quiet embrace, pushing into their hearts and pierced them deep within, moving them to bittersweet but clear emotion.

They cried for their childhoods, they cried for their hardships, they cried for the years that they were lost from one another. But they also cried for the small chance that they had found each other, that fate had given them the opportunity to love, and to be loved, and to experience the kind of happiness that some people can only ever dream of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rey’s experience in the cathedral is based on my experience seeing San Chapelle in Paris. My husband and I went to Europe for our first time last year with our 6 month old baby. She was crying in my arms as I walked up the winding steps and I was singing to her, trying to calm her down. She finally relaxed just as I reached the top of the steps and when I looked up I felt my soul leave my body.
> 
> Even just thinking about it makes me tear up. It truly is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I hope I did it justice in my description.


	27. Epilogue

“Mama, can I go play outside?” The small girl with red hair bounced up and down on her feet, her light blue dress swishing lightly against the white marbled floors.

“Sure my love. Can you do something for me?” The woman asked, kneeling before the child. The girl paused her bouncing to nod. “Can you go pick some wildflowers and bring them back?” She asked, tucking a red strand behind her daughter's ear and the little girl nodded solemnly. The woman nodded towards the doorway that filtered light onto the stark floors. The little girl ran through it, giggling and skipping off into the sunshine and into the lush meadow. 

The woman stood and turned back to the darkness, taking in the two stone likenesses that lay before her. She rested her eyes upon the face of the woman, soft and sweet, her hair chiseled to wave around her shoulders with a small bun at the side. A delicate crown of vines adorned her locks. The dress carved onto her body draped across her bosom in layers of fabric, cascading past her feet. In her hand she held a sword that rested atop her torso and legs. Her other hand was carved to the side, connecting her to the second statue.

Her hand was held by a much larger one that belonged to the man that lay next to her. His strong nose and jaw was carved perfectly, and the artist had even included a few pockmarks to indicate the moles that Aria herself had traced with pudgy hands when she was just a babe. 

His raven hair waved around his shoulders, holding up a crown with fierce spikes that jutted from the smooth metal band around his forehead. He was clad in his signature high necked belted black tunic and atop his torso was his sword with the red sheen and sharp cross guard that had been the token of Aria’s fascination for years. 

Aria looked on the forms of her mother and father and started to weep, her whimpering cries echoing off the unforgiving stone walls of the mausoleum. Her tears fell and splashed against the marble, illuminated by the light that fell from the doorway and the skylight above the faces of her parents. 

It had only been a year since their passing, but the wound still pierced her regularly, her eyes stinging with tears at the thoughts of her father’s reading voice by the fire, or riding through the meadows of Naboo with her mother. 

She didn’t have very many memories of Coruscant. Shortly after being crowned King and Queen, her mother and father spent years dismantling the Empire and its totalitarian rule, replacing it with a kinder and fairer kind of governance, eventually dissolving the royal appointment and establishing a council to rule in its stead. 

When she was still a child they had moved to live in Naboo after her parents had been relieved of their duties. She had never seen her mother more content, more bright. Her father visited Coruscant on occasion to help with the transition and to help decide on important matters of state. After a few years Aria and her older brother Rehan excitedly welcomed another brother, Ollie, born with chestnut hair and soft hazel eyes. 

The three of them led an idyllic childhood, picking wildflowers in the meadow, swimming in crystal clear blue lakes, and running through the sand colored halls of Varykino, their ancestral home. 

Over the years it became increasingly common for girls of all ages to come around, looking for guidance and support from the woman who had become a knight against all odds. Aria knew of one other woman who had become a knight under false pretenses. She had met her a few times, extremely intimidated by the towering woman. However, she was very secretive and did not allow apprentices or protégés. 

So, girls would flock to Varykino and would stay for a few days, some for a few months, learning under the tutelage of the Warrior Queen. Rehan had even married one of them, a girl of low birth who had come to work for them as a stable girl, secretly observing her mother’s lessons. 

Aria smiled at the memory of when she had caught them together in the stable loft when they were all teenagers. Aria was brushing down her horse when she heard a giggle from above. She climbed the loft to find Mai sitting in Rehan’s lap, their faces mashed together. Aria had gasped and the faces that the two of them had made caused Arai to laugh so hard she had almost peed herself.

The memory made her giggle, even as tears continued to track down her face. She remembered the way her papa would hold her mother tight in his arms after a long day, or the way her mother would swim with them to find colorful fish, telling the tale of how their father had taught her how to swim in this very lake, just after they were married.

She also smiled at the memories of when her and Rehan had tried to sneak down to the kitchens at night, only to pass by their parents rooms and being horrified by the sounds that emitted from the double wooden doors. They ran back down the hall, holding their hands against their ears, trying to drown out the sounds of their mother moaning and their father saying the filthiest things they had ever heard.

She brushed her jet black hair behind her shoulder and held herself tightly, shivering slightly in the chilly tomb. She heard a small patter of footsteps and turned to see Lia running up the steps, hands full of blue and yellow flowers. 

“I got blue for grandpapa and yellow for grandmama.” Lia beamed up at her, red hair frizzy and strewn with a few fallen leaves. Her hair color matched her father’s and grandfather’s perfectly. 

“Can you place them on the statues, my darling?” She watched as Lia bounded up to the stone effigies, scattering buds and petals along the carvings. Aria remembered the first time the Hux’s had visited them at Varykino. Willem’s hair had fascinated her to no end, even as a seven year old girl.

He had hated it when she touched his hair when they were kids, but as they grew older he began to like it and soon enough was begging for it. Aria smirked at the thought of her husband and Lia bounced back to her. “Mama, why is grandmother holding a sword?” She looked confused, her eyebrows crinkling together. 

Aria mulled it over, deciding that Lia was old enough to understand the majority of the story now, not just the simple things. “Well, it’s a long story Lia.” Aria sighed. Lia cocked her head.

“Why? What’s it about?” She asked.

“Well, it’s about a girl who pretended to be a boy. She became a squire and met a dashing knight. Together they became king and queen and saved a lot of people. Do you want to hear it?” Aria asked and Lia nodded her head eagerly.

“All right. There was once a girl named Rey.” Aria began, holding Lia’s hand as they emerged back out into the sunlight, and walked across the flowing grass and growing flowers, back towards home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s finally finished 😭 I’m happy and sad at the same time, and if you made it to this point, thank you, thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope your reylo journey changes you as much as it has changed me. I never knew I could write and now I think it’s something that I could be doing for a long time to come.
> 
> Come be my friend on [ twitter ](https://twitter.com/mae2d2) !


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